Heathrow Opened A Lounge Just For E-Cigarette Smokers, And Passengers Approve

At the beginning of one of the busiest weeks for airline travel, London Heathrow Airport opened the first zone for smoking electronic cigarettes.

The 323-square-foot e-smoking section is operated by e-cigarette manufacturer Gamucci, and is located in the International Departures Lounge at Heathrow Terminal 4, next to the duty free shops, The Telegraph reports.

E-cigarettes produce a vapor similar to smoke without the heavy tobacco smell. Some contain a mixture of flavorings and nicotine while others have no nicotine.

Skyscanner, a global travel search site, just conducted a survey of 1,000 travelers and found 57% wouldn't object to more airports adopting an indoor e-smoking section, also called a "vaping zone," after the vapor the e-cigarettes produce. 70% of smokers questioned favored vaping zones and 50% of nonsmokers favored them.

E-cigarette smoking is on the rise, with the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency in the UK estimating 1.3 million users as of this year.

Heathrow continues to maintain designated sections to smoke traditional cigarettes outside the terminal, while allowing e-cigarette smoking in just one indoor area so far.

But not everyone's happy about the compromise. The British Medical Association told The Telegraph that smoking e-cigarettes indoors should be banned along with traditional cigarettes. Otherwise, it makes "cigarette use seem normal in public and at work."