Last Updated on November 14, 2019 by

Do You Use Electronic Cigarettes in the Workplace?

There is a potentially difficult situation emerging in the UK, and many other countries around the world, with regards to the issue of electronic cigarettes in the workplace. There are many different angles from which to look at this particular subject, which we will cover below, although there is one glaring issue which is yet to be resolved and could undo much of the good work done by the ecigarette industry.

The subject of electronic cigarettes in the workplace has always been a controversial matter because while electronic cigarettes in the UK do not come under the tobacco cigarette smoking ban, many people still see them in the same light. This despite the fact that there are significant differences between electronic cigarettes and their tobacco cigarette counterparts.

Friction in the workplace

We can only imagine the kind of friction which occurs in the workplace today with some companies allowing electronic cigarette users to vape at their desks and on company premises. Those who smoke tobacco cigarettes on a regular basis feel hard done by, feel discriminated against and this has caused friction within the workplace. So what are the solutions and are they feasible?

Treating electronic cigarettes and tobacco cigarettes the same

For many businesses the simple way out is to treat electronic cigarettes and tobacco cigarettes the same in the UK which means that they are banned on company premises but allowed in specific smoking areas. On the surface this would seem to be perhaps a sensible and balanced approach but is it really fair to place those who have given up tobacco cigarettes in the same vicinity as those still smoking tobacco cigarettes?

Yes, while many people automatically assume that these very different products should be treated exactly the same, we can only imagine how difficult it must be for an electronic cigarette user to vape alongside tobacco cigarette smokers. There is the potential to undo all of the good work done by the electronic cigarette industry as this must increase the danger of electronic cigarette users returning to their tobacco counterparts? As we know, there are significant health issues to take into consideration not to mention secondary smoking and cost implications.

Is there a simple solution?

In many ways this is perhaps one of the biggest conundrums which businesses in the UK, and indeed around the world, will need to face in the short, medium and longer term. Despite the fact there is evidence that secondary smoking is not an issue with regards to electronic cigarettes, many people automatically assume the exact opposite. Until we have long-term medical trials which will highlight the pros and cons of electronic cigarettes, compared to their tobacco cigarette counterparts, as well as the significant differences, this issue is likely to go on for many years to come.

So far there has been no recourse to the legal arena in relation to some companies treating electronic cigarettes the same as their tobacco counterparts, but would you bet against it in the months and years ahead?

Mark Benson

Mark Benson is a contributing author for Spinfuel eMagazine. His continuing columns will bring a levelheaded approach to the dynamics involved in realizing a positive future for the e-cigarette industry. For more information on OK Eliquids and other products available please visit the OKCigs website.