Guidance for vaping policies

Whilst it isn’t against the law to vape inside many business owners and managers decide to impose their own restrictions. This makes it uncomfortable for people who have moved away from smoking to using the much safer alternative and reinforces the misconception that vaping is as harmful to health as smoking. We believe that in many cases these restrictions are unnecessary and that, with a bit of thought, businesses can accommodate those who vape and those who don’t.

There are no known or anticipated harms to bystanders from vaping. Vaping can be (and usually is) discreet. However, some non vapers are uncomfortable around vaping and this needs to be recognised and respected. Here we outline various settings and potential approaches:

Mr P, transport company manager, on the benefits of allowing his employees to vape:

"We employ over 150 staff in routine blue collar jobs and, in the past, around 50% of them smoked. This has changed dramatically in recent years, currently that figure is only around 15%, with the wall-mounted ashtray on our business premises hardly ever used now. Instead many have switched to vaping e-cigarettes.

We have found that letting staff know that vaping is welcome has also encouraged others who are curious to ask questions about the devices and they have become a conversation piece. This has led to even more trying vaping and, in turn, more switching from smoking. We have been happy to encourage this as there is less litter, complaints from clients have evaporated, smoking breaks are mostly a thing of the past and our staff are healthier for it. No one is concerned about it and it hasn’t raised any problems. I find it baffling that companies wouldn’t want to set policies which we have found to be very positive in so many ways."

Example wording for policies which include vaping

E-cigarettes: The use of e-cigarettes is permitted throughout XXXX grounds. Use is permitted in the designated vaping area inside, during rest breaks. Use is not permitted in other communal internal areas.

E-cigarettes: The use of e-cigarettes is permitted throughout XXXX grounds . The use may be permitted at individual workstations, at the discretion of the line manager. Use is not permitted in other communal internal areas.

A reminder that what's appropriate for one setting might not work for another:

Thousands of micro decisions CB

From Clive Bates' presentation to GFN 2017, "What would good regulation look like?"

Guidance for vaping policies

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