TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Vape or E-cigarettes are widely considered to be an alternative way to reduce the effects of traditional cigarette addiction. Despite this, many still suspect that the effects of vaping are as dangerous as smoking a traditional tobacco cigarette.

Responding to this issue, Padjajaran University researcher Satriya Wibawa Suhardjo conducted a research on the effects of vaping that was presented in the Global Forum on Nicotinedi Warsawa in Poland on June 14-June 16.

He maintained that the public’s negative assumption towards vaping is baseless and not based on tested scientific researches, and is a contrast to the research results presented at the forum that focuses on harm reduction.

“Society’s negative view towards vaping is problematic since it is not based on relevant data and facts. During my visit at the global nicotine forum, is received plenty of information on alternative products for tobacco, which one of it was vaping,” said Satriya, on Sunday, July 15.

His two-year research found vaping had been misperceived and negatively generalized even though his research found that vaping posed a claimed 95 percent lower health risk compared to cigarettes.

Furthermore, Satriya’s research was conducted to find the possibility of introducing vaping as an alternative to smoking in West Java. He said that products such as electronic cigarettes have quickly flourished since it successfully became a substitute to smoking.

He argues that the Indonesian Government should conduct further researches on vaping’s health potential to convince the public through a more factual scientific way. Data from the Finance Ministry’s Customs and Excise Directorate General suggest that consumers of e-cigs or vape in 2017 reached 650,000 active users.

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