To give a little context about the ethical committee, the survey would have been approved by them as:
1. the survey is not asking someone to participate in vaping ie supervising/ asking them to try something, therefore there is no risk of harm coming to a human or animal;
2. The ethical committee will be the uni ethical committee which consists of the H&S department several research professors coming from various research backgrounds;
3. As no humans or lethal chemicals / viruses or risk to land / water etc are involved it did not have to go to an external agency, pay £1k fee for a request for consideration.
One thing is for sure, if I decide to do a PHd I know where not to apply!