Workplace vaping is common – and co-workers don’t like it, survey finds

Washington — About two-thirds of employees say they’ve observed co-workers vaping, while a nearly equal amount believe the secondhand vapors from e-cigarettes and other vaping devices are at least moderately harmful to their own health, according to the results of a recent survey.

Researchers from the Truth Initiative, a nonprofit public health organization aimed at ending tobacco and nicotine use, surveyed more than 1,600 full-time employees from organizations with at least 150 workers. They found that 62% of the respondents have seen co-workers vaping on the job, and nearly 58% said their co-workers vape while conducting business or in other people’s workspaces. About 63% are bothered by workplace vaping.

“Vaping is present in the workplace in medium to very large companies and has ramifications for employee health, morale and productivity,” the researchers conclude. “Employers and regulatory agencies should consider how policies can support the health and well-being of both users and non-users of e-cigarettes.”

The survey results were published in the January issue of the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.