Table 2

Changes in perception of harm from e-cigarettes in 27 European Union member states, 2012–2014

Perceiving e-cigarettes as harmful %
Country2012 % (95% CI)2014 % (95% CI)Change during 2012–2014
aOR (95% CI)*
Southern Europe
Cyprus23.6 (19.9 to 27.3)62.8 (58.2 to 67.4)5.64 (4.20 to 7.56)
Greece49.0 (45.8 to 52.2)53.1 (49.9 to 56.4)1.19 (0.98 to 1.42)
Italy13.9 (11.8 to 16.1)41.3 (38.1 to 44.6)4.33 (3.47 to 5.42)
Malta23.8 (19.5 to 28.2)63.2 (58.5 to 67.9)5.48 (4.00 to 7.51)
Portugal26.5 (23.8 to 29.3)57.1 (53.9 to 60.3)4.07 (3.33 to 4.98)
Slovenia34.3 (31.3 to 37.3)59.8 (56.5 to 63.0)2.85 (2.36 to 3.45)
Spain14.7 (12.5 to 17.0)55.7 (52.5 to 58.8)7.34 (5.90 to 9.14)
Western Europe
Austria27.1 (24.3 to 30.0)42.3 (38.7 to 45.9)2.06 (1.67 to 2.54)
Belgium35.8 (32.8 to 38.8)52.9 (49.5 to 56.2)2.02 (1.68 to 2.44)
France25.8 (23.0 to 28.5)59.9 (56.4 to 63.4)4.35 (3.54 to 5.35)
Germany46.2 (43.3 to 49.1)51.2 (48.4 to 54.1)1.25 (1.06 to 1.47)
Luxembourg39.1 (34.6 to 43.6)66.0 (61.1 to 70.8)3.01 (2.25 to 4.03)
The Netherlands41.6 (38.3 to 44.9)78.1 (75.3 to 80.9)5.21 (4.19 to 6.49)
Northern Europe
Denmark28.2 (25.3 to 31.1)69.4 (66.4 to 72.5)6.02 (4.90 to 7.40)
Estonia37.5 (34.4 to 40.7)67.1 (63.9 to 70.4)3.63 (2.96 to 4.46)
Finland52.9 (48.9 to 56.9)70.4 (67.3 to 73.4)2.08 (1.67 to 2.59)
Ireland12.5 (10.4 to 14.7)47.5 (44.3 to 50.7)6.56 (5.19 to 8.31)
Latvia51.6 (48.5 to 54.7)63.5 (60.1 to 66.8)1.66 (1.36 to 2.01)
Lithuania29.5 (26.7 to 32.4)69.8 (66.8 to 72.9)5.55 (4.53 to 6.80)
Sweden23.1 (20.0 to 26.2)67.6 (64.1 to 71.2)7.18 (5.65 to 9.13)
UK15.2 (12.9 to 17.5)38.4 (35.1 to 41.6)3.49 (2.78 to 4.39)
Eastern Europe
Bulgaria20.4 (17.8 to 23.0)45.5 (42.3 to 48.6)3.28 (2.67 to 4.02)
Czech Republic30.0 (27.1 to 33.0)54.3 (51.1 to 57.5)2.79 (2.31 to 3.38)
Hungary31.1 (28.2 to 34.0)32.6 (29.6 to 35.5)1.10 (0.91 to 1.33)
Poland25.7 (22.8 to 28.5)52.1 (49.0 to 55.3)3.39 (2.78 to 4.14)
Romania32.6 (29.6 to 35.5)54.3 (51.1 to 57.4)2.53 (2.10 to 3.05)
Slovakia27.9 (24.9 to 30.9)47.8 (44.6 to 51.1)2.38 (1.95 to 2.90)
27 EU states27.1 (26.3 to 28.0)51.6 (50.6 to 52.5)2.99 (2.89 to 3.10)
  • *OR of perceiving e-cigarettes as harmful in 2014, compared to 2012, adjusted for age and smoking status.

  • aOR, adjusted ORs.