“Vaping may be a
suitable alternative,
and offers a social
identity, to ex-
smokers who find it
difficult to give up
nicotine completely.”
As well as the convenience, health benefits and ‘sensory satisfaction’,
researchers reported that for some participants, e-cigarettes appeared
to be a representation of an aspect of their personal identity and
lifestyle.
The researchers concluded: “The current findings suggest that
e-cigarettes may serve social, recreational, and sensory expectancies
that are unique relative to cigarettes and not dependent on nicotine.”
Both the UEA study and a 2016 paper published in the journal Critical
Public Health detailed how e-cigarette use can help vapers meet
new people or get to know acquaintances better.
The latter study found that for many individuals, social vaping
was a positive process that encouraged friendship, the sharing
of information and the integration of social activities like driving,
watching television and going to restaurants.
Smoking is a notoriously difficult habit to break. This area of research
offers a new angle that may help prevent former smokers from
relapsing. If quitting cigarettes cuts you off from who you were,
vaping provides a gateway to the happier and healthier person
you could be.
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