Unless you have been living in self-imposed exile in a cave somewhere recently, you cannot fail to realise the day of reckoning is almost upon us. We are talking, of course, about the EU Referendum. 23rd June is the day the nation will head to the polling stations to decide on the future. Will we vote to leave the EU – the so-called Brexit – or will the majority vote to stay?
Many polls put Brexit ahead in recent days, but does anyone really know the answer? We’ll have to wait until the results are in to know for sure what people will do, but one site decided to find out whether vapers were more likely to vote to stay or to leave. The survey began back in April, and some 1,200 people responded with their opinions.
Do vapers vote for Brexit?
According to the results, the majority said they were going to vote for Brexit. The data showed that 56% of vapers wanted to leave the EU, while 17% wanted to stay. A further 27% said they were not sure yet which way they were going to vote.
These figures were then compared to the national results released by YouGov when they had a poll. They found that in general, 38% wanted to vote for Brexit, while 39% intended to vote to stay. Additionally, 18% said they were not sure which way they would vote at that time.
A significant difference compared to the average UK voter
Of course, we can only take these results at face value. Lots of polls were stating the vote was going to swing the way of the Remain camp a few weeks ago. Just lately, though, things have swung the other way and it looks as though the Brexit camp is in the lead by some margin.
But taking these results – and only these results – into account, it’s clear that the mood is running high among vapers. A full 18% more people who vape want to leave the EU compared with the general public. additionally, only around half as many want to stay. Perhaps most interesting is that indecision seems to be rife among vapers when compared to the general public. They are 9% more likely to still be sitting on the fence regarding which way they will vote.
New EU rules applied to electronic cigarettes and accessories
If you vape, you’ll probably already know about the new stricter laws that have come into play recently. These affect vapers directly in lots of ways. you’ll no longer be able to buy e-cigarettes with larger tank sizes (they’ve been limited to 2ml). you won’t be able to buy e-liquids with a high nicotine level either, as they’ve now been limited as well.
Not surprisingly, then, a whopping 89% of vapers said they thought these regulations were most likely to influence the way they would vote in the Referendum. So while 27% of the vapers who took part said they didn’t know how they would vote yet, more than half had already made their minds up – and they were voting for the exit door.
Hardly surprising, really, especially since life has been made more challenging for vapers thanks to these new ill-thought-out laws coming out of the EU.
So are you in or out?
Of course, the Referendum is about far more than just vaping. While the new laws have irritated a lot of vapers, they are just a small part of the puzzle. Some people have decided to go along with the laws – as much as they disagree with them – because they believe staying in the EU is good for the UK in lots of other ways. Others have made their mind up and are deciding to vote out. This could be because of these laws as well as for many other reasons.
Clearly this is a polarising issue. No one can be sure which way the result is going to go until the votes are counted and we can see how many people have voted one way or the other. You may be incensed at the limitations now placed on you in terms of buying e-cigs and liquids. If you were previously undecided, that could tip you in favour of the exit door. On the other hand, maybe you think these new rules are a good thing. Maybe you believe better regulation is in order in this market, considering there has been little of it up until now.
As such, it makes sense to consider all the options – and the potential implications of being in or out of the EU – before you vote. According to the poll, there are still plenty of vapers out there who have yet to make up their minds. Which way will you go? Let us know in the comments below.
