Uncertainty around the role of vaping in smoking cessation services: Insights from Scotland
- 1Global Health Policy Unit, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
Abstract
Background: To understand the persisting sources of contention around the role of vapes in smoking cessation, existing research has investigated diverging evidence-based positions across regulatory contexts. While the empirical foundations of differing perspectives have been widely explored, less is known about how non-epistemic factors influence approaches to vaping in practice, particularly within specialist smoking cessation services (SCSs).
Methods: A qualitative case study was undertaken with Scottish tobacco control and SCS professionals. Both semi-structured qualitative interviews (n = 25) and policy document analysis (n = 26) were performed. The dataset was analysed thematically, with this paper focusing on the relationship between evidence mobilisation and experiences of metaphysical uncertainty around vapes in Scottish SCS policy and practice.
Results: Four themes categorise the findings: conceptualisations of smoking cessation and SCSs, experiences of uncertainty around vaping products, experiences of uncertainty around the role of vapes in SCSs and approaches to managing uncertainty. Evidence mobilisation and experiences of metaphysical uncertainty were shaped by contextual and normative factors. While product-based uncertainty was acknowledged across interviews and documents, practice-related forms appeared almost exclusively among SCS delivery professionals and contributed to their ‘under-confidence’ toward the role of vapes in SCSs. Strategies for managing uncertainty included mobilisation of locally-produced SCS guidance and deference for standardised medically licensed cessation products.
Conclusion: This paper is one of the first to explore how Scottish SCS professionals navigate engaging with vapes in practice. The findings emphasise how contextual and normative factors shape approaches to evidence mobilisation, experiences of metaphysical uncertainty and tactics for managing uncertainty around the role of vapes in SCS policy and practice.
Key messages: • Evidence mobilisation, experiences of metaphysical uncertainty and strategies for managing uncertainty around vapes are contextually shaped and differ in policy and practice.
• Metaphysical uncertainty around vapes reflects product-based concerns around their consumer nature and practice-based concerns around ambiguous guidance for specialist smoking cessation services.
Related
- Retrospective self-attributed helpfulness of smoking cessation products used in the most recent quit attempt: a population-based study in Scotland
- The SISTABIRTH protocol: a co-developed multiple-methods study to design a Birthing on Country model and adapt the SISTAQUIT smoking cessation resources in three regional and remote Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services
- Association between duration of smoking cessation and depressive symptoms among community-dwelling older adults: a cross-sectional study
- Lung Function and Respiratory Symptoms as Factors Associated with Smoking Cessation Status in a Population-Based Study
- A Polygenic Score for Smoking Persistence Captures Differences in Cessation Age
BibTeX
@article{kim2026uncertainty,
title = {{Uncertainty around the role of vaping in smoking cessation services: Insights from Scotland}},
author = {KM Kim},
journal = {The European Journal of Public Health},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1093/eurpub/ckag169.1592},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckag169.1592},
note = {CC BY-NC 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Uncertainty around the role of vaping in smoking cessation services: Insights from Scotland
AU - KM Kim
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/01
JO - The European Journal of Public Health
DO - 10.1093/eurpub/ckag169.1592
UR - https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckag169.1592
AB - Background: To understand the persisting sources of contention around the role of vapes in smoking cessation, existing research has investigated diverging evidence-based positions across regulatory contexts. While the empirical foundations of differing perspectives have been widely explored, less is known about how non-epistemic factors influence approaches to vaping in practice, particularly within specialist smoking cessation services (SCSs). Methods: A qualitative case study was undertaken with Scottish tobacco control and SCS professionals. Both semi-structured qualitative interviews (n = 25) and policy document analysis (n = 26) were performed. The dataset was analysed thematically, with this paper focusing on the relationship between evidence mobilisation and experiences of metaphysical uncertainty around vapes in Scottish SCS policy and practice. Results: Four themes categorise the findings: conceptualisations of smoking cessation and SCSs, experiences of uncertainty around vaping products, experiences of uncertainty around the role of vapes in SCSs and approaches to managing uncertainty. Evidence mobilisation and experiences of metaphysical uncertainty were shaped by contextual and normative factors. While product-based uncertainty was acknowledged across interviews and documents, practice-related forms appeared almost exclusively among SCS delivery professionals and contributed to their ‘under-confidence’ toward the role of vapes in SCSs. Strategies for managing uncertainty included mobilisation of locally-produced SCS guidance and deference for standardised medically licensed cessation products. Conclusion: This paper is one of the first to explore how Scottish SCS professionals navigate engaging with vapes in practice. The findings emphasise how contextual and normative factors shape approaches to evidence mobilisation, experiences of metaphysical uncertainty and tactics for managing uncertainty around the role of vapes in SCS policy and practice. Key messages: • Evidence mobilisation, experiences of metaphysical uncertainty and strategies for managing uncertainty around vapes are contextually shaped and differ in policy and practice. • Metaphysical uncertainty around vapes reflects product-based concerns around their consumer nature and practice-based concerns around ambiguous guidance for specialist smoking cessation services.
SN - 1101-1262
SN - 1464-360X
ER -