A question people often ask is why vaping is suddenly so popular. While it may seem sudden, vaping has been around longer than people think, with a substantial vaping hobbyist community that started over seven years ago.
A vaping hobbyist is someone who enjoys exploring the world of vaping. Whether it’s new vaping technology, building their own device through mods, tasting and finding superior e-juice, or connecting with other enthusiasts through vaping forums.
Aside from hobbyists, New Zealanders, on the whole, have been taking up vaping more and more. In 2018/19, 21.2 percent of adults tried an electronic cigarette, up from 18.5 percent in 2017/18 and 16.2 percent in 2015/16.
So what has caused the uptick in vape use, and why is vaping so popular? 50.1% of people vape as it is healthier than smoking, 39.6% vape as it is cheaper than smoking, and 49.6% of people vape as a means to help quit smoking, according to Ministry of Health data.
People also reported they vape to avoid bothering others with smoke and to vape in places you cannot smoke.
From this research, one of the main reasons vaping is so popular is that it’s an essential tool for smoking cessation and helping to achieve a smoke-free New Zealand.
Whether you vape as a hobby or for your lifestyle is up to you. The flexibility vaping offers allows consumers to choose how they vape and is why vaping is less a trend and more a choice.