Profiles

Here, you can find any of the interviews on this site.



Debbie

Debbie has been using e-cigarettes for two weeks and has cut down from about twenty cigarettes to five per day. She has also reduced the nicotine strength in the e-cigarette to the weakest dose. Her mother died recently of lung cancer. The money she is saving on cigarettes is helping to pay the mortgage for her holiday home. She plans to give up both smoking cigarettes and e-cigarettes by her next birthday.

  • Background

    Debbie is married with adult children. She works part-time as a council officer. Ethnic background: British.

  • Age at interview 51
  • Sex/Gender Female
  • Jai

    Jai has been smoking for about twenty five years. He has used different methods to try to give up smoking like patches, chewing gum - but he always ended up going back to smoking cigarettes. In December 2014 he started using e-cigarettes every day and he has reduced cigarettes from twenty a day to five or ten a week. He said that it is important to find the right flavour that works for you.

  • Background

    Jai is divorced and has two teenage children. He works as an engineer. Ethnic background: White British.

  • Age at interview 43
  • Sex/Gender Male
  • Anthony

    In 2009, Anthony decided to explore alternatives to smoking. He smoked about twenty per day and was concerned about his health when he developed a persistent night cough. He has mild asthma. He uses e-cigarettes with pre-filled cartridges. He has reduced the amount of nicotine, but estimates that he vapes the equivalent of twenty cigarettes per day.

  • Background

    Anthony is single and works full-time as a Systems Developer. Ethnic background: Irish.

  • Age at interview 39
  • Sex/Gender Male
  • Rosanna

    Rosanna became curious about e-cigarettes following a visit from one of her sons who was using e-cigarettes to try to give up smoking. Her son showed her online information about e-cigarettes. Rosanna aims to give up smoking cigarettes gradually. At the moment, she is using e-cigarettes to cut down the number of cigarettes she smokes. She no longer feels the need to smoke at work and if needed, she uses her e-cigarette.

  • Background

    Rosanna is divorced and has three adult children. She is an academic working in the field of health research. Ethnic background: White British.

  • Age at interview 56
  • Sex/Gender Female
  • Judith

    Judith, 36, gave up smoking when she was 34. Judith is White Scottish, works as a communications manager and lives by herself. She gave up smoking after being diagnosed with emphysema. Judith started smoking at 14-15. She soon started smoking cannabis to cope with her mental health problems. She always thought she had a smoker's cough' but was later diagnosed with emphysema. It was incredibly hard for Judith to stop smoking, but she managed it with the support of a smoking cessation group.

  • Background

    Judith, 36, gave up smoking when she was 34. Judith is White Scottish, works as a communications manager and lives by herself. She gave up smoking after being diagnosed with...

  • Age at interview 36
  • Sex/Gender Female
  • Tom

    Tom, 32, gave up smoking when he was 29. Tom is White British, a software consultant and lives with his wife. He smoked for fifteen years before he cut down and then gave up smoking altogether. Tom did not use any stop smoking' aids, and feels his change in attitude and determination to quit were important factors.

  • Background

    Tom, 32, gave up smoking when he was 29. Tom is White British, a software consultant and lives with his wife. He smoked for fifteen years before he cut down...

  • Mariam

    Mariam, 36, gave up smoking at the age of 43. Mariam is Asian, lives with her two sons and her mother. She came to England from Kyrgyzstan when she was 30. Mariam started smoking with Russian women at work. She started buying her own and smoked when she was lonely. Later, her son found her cigarettes and persuaded her to give up. She now feels much brighter and healthier.

  • Background

    Mariam, 36, gave up smoking at the age of 43. Mariam is Asian, lives with her two sons and her mother. She came to England from Kyrgyzstan when she was...

  • Age at interview 43
  • Sex/Gender Female
  • Andrew

    Andrew, 32, is White British, works as a supermarket manager and lives by himself. He has quit smoking for 18 months. Andrew first started smoking with his friends when he was 16. He smoked 20 a day like clockwork' until he tried to stop. Andrew had previously had a few attempts at quitting smoking with the help of nicotine replacement patches, but has now stopped for 18 months and has since trained for a marathon.

  • Background

    Andrew, 32, is White British, works as a supermarket manager and lives by himself. He has quit smoking for 18 months. Andrew first started smoking with his friends when he...

  • Age at interview 32
  • Sex/Gender Male
  • Khan

    Khan, 29, gave up smoking four months ago. He is British Pakistani lives with his wife and they are expecting their first child. Khan smoked for 14 years before giving up with the help of an NHS clinic. Khan started smoking at age 14 and says that he was very addicted. He gave up after his Dad had heart problems and his wife persuaded him to quit. Khan has now stopped for four months.

  • Background

    Khan, 29, gave up smoking four months ago. He is British Pakistani lives with his wife and they are expecting their first child. Khan smoked for 14 years before giving...

  • Age at interview 29
  • Sex/Gender Male
  • Cassie

    Cassie, 22, is currently trying to give up smoking. She is Mixed Black African Caribbean/White British, is studying and lives in London in shared accommodation. Cassie had her first cigarette when she was 7 but started smoking regularly when she was 13. She has always suffered with asthma and first tried to quit when she was 18. She is currently trying to stop and has cut down considerably. She plans to attend a drop-in clinic to get more support.

  • Background

    Cassie, 22, is currently trying to give up smoking. She is Mixed Black African Caribbean/White British, is studying and lives in London in shared accommodation. Cassie had her first cigarette...

  • Age at interview 22
  • Sex/Gender Female