Table 4 The most positive and negative aspects of ecigarettes: open-ended comments from e-cigarette users
Number of comments | |
|---|---|
Positive points (total from three open-ended fields) | 208 |
Taste and variety of flavours | 38 |
Beneficial effects on health, breathing and cough | 26 |
No unpleasant odours or bad breath | 23 |
Inhalation, including harsh sensation in the throat and pleasure of inhaling | 16 |
Less toxic than tobacco smoke | 15 |
Facilitates smoking cessation | 15 |
Can be used everywhere (the freedom) | 15 |
The gestures or actions (similar to smoking) | 13 |
Ease of use, design | 10 |
Less expensive than cigarettes | 9 |
No environmental tobacco smoke | 8 |
Facilitates smoking reduction | 5 |
No ash, dirt, or burned clothes | 5 |
Can choose the dose of nicotine and number of puffs | 5 |
Relieves craving for tobacco | 3 |
Improves sense of smell and taste | 2 |
Negative points (total from three open-ended fields) | 154 |
Poor quality, lack of reliability and frequent failures | 40 |
Batteries discharge too rapidly | 27 |
Too expensive | 14 |
Bad taste | 14 |
Difficult or impractical to use; dosage is difficult to adjust | 10 |
The liquid may leak during usage | 10 |
Only sold on the internet | 9 |
No studies or information on the composition of the vapour and the health risks of the e-cigarette | 8 |
Cartridges do not last long enough | 6 |
Difficult to stop using the ecigarette without relapsing to smoking | 4 |
Too big or too heavy | 3 |
Too often asked by friends or colleagues to explain the device | 2 |
Miscellaneous | 7 |