The Vaper's Perspective: A Qualitative Study of E-Cigarette Users and Smokers in Slovenia

BackgroundThe use of e-cigarettes has been rapidly expanding in recent years. The reasons people in Slovenia chose to use electronic cigarettes have not been studied to date. This study examines e-cigarette users' attitudes regarding their health risks.ObjectivesThe aim of the study was to examine the users' standpoint towards e-cigarettes and their understanding of the impact on people's health.MethodsThis qualitative study consists of 15 semi-qualitative interviews. Fifteen active or former tobacco smokers and/or e-cigarette users were interviewed using semi-structured interviews between 1 December 2019 and 30 April 2020. Data were analysed using qualitative content analysis. The employed inductive analysis consisted of coding, creating categories and abstraction; that is, framing a general description of the research topic through generating categories.ResultsData show that the interviewees do not have a unified opinion regarding the use and harmful effects of e-cigarettes. They agree that e-cigarettes are less harmful than regular cigarettes, but do not believe that they completely eliminate harmful effects for people that smoke regularly. The results also show that vaping is typical of young people, who use e-cigarettes as an important element of their subculture.ConclusionsThe use of e-cigarettes in Slovenia is still a matter of public debate, because the advantages and harmful effects of using e-cigarettes are not yet well known. National guidelines for reducing the harmful effects of e-cigarettes are needed. Izhodi & scaron;& ccaron;aUporaba e-cigaret se v zadnjih letih hitro & scaron;iri. Razlogi, zakaj se ljudje v Sloveniji odlo & ccaron;ajo za uporabo elektronskih cigaret, do danes niso bili raziskani. Ta raziskava preu & ccaron;uje odnos uporabnikov e-cigaret do njihovih zdravstvenih tveganj.CiljiNamen raziskave je bil preveriti stali & scaron;& ccaron;e uporabnikov do e-cigaret in njihovo razumevanje vpliva na zdravje ljudi.MetodeKvalitativna & scaron;tudija je sestavljena iz 15 pol-kvalitativnih intervjujev. Med 1. decembrom 2019 in 30. aprilom 2020 je bilo s pol-strukturiranimi intervjuji anketiranih 15 aktivnih ali nekdanjih kadilcev tobaka in/ali uporabnikov e-cigaret. Podatki so bili analizirani s kvalitativno vsebinsko analizo. Uporabljena induktivna analiza je bila sestavljena iz kodiranja, ustvarjanja kategorij in abstrakcije; to je oblikovanje splo & scaron;nega opisa raziskovalne teme z ustvarjanjem kategorij.RezultatiPodatki ka & zcaron;ejo, da anketiranci nimajo enotnega mnenja glede uporabe in & scaron;kodljivosti e-cigaret. Strinjajo se, da so e-cigarete manj & scaron;kodljive od navadnih cigaret, vendar ne verjamejo, da popolnoma odpravijo & scaron;kodljive u & ccaron;inke za ljudi, ki redno kadijo. Rezultati tudi ka & zcaron;ejo, da je vejping zna & ccaron;ilen za mlade, ki uporabljajo e-cigarete kot pomemben element svoje subkulture.Zaklju & ccaron;ekUporaba e-cigaret je v Sloveniji & scaron;e vedno predmet javne razprave, saj prednosti in & scaron;kodljivosti uporabe e-cigaret & scaron;e niso dobro poznane. Potrebne so nacionalne smernice za zmanj & scaron;anje & scaron;kodljivih u & ccaron;inkov e-cigaret.