The NHS recently announced the launch of a trial later this year to help smokers ditch the habit by handing out free vape starter kits. For the 30-month duration of the trial smokers attending A&E for any reason in several hospitals in England and Scotland will be split into two groups: 50% will be given a vape starter kit and a week’s supply of e-liquids, the other 50% will be given a leaflet directing them to local sources of smoking cessation help, and both groups will get follow-up contacts and support. The NHS hope to recruit 1,000 volunteers through the scheme.
There is no doubt that smokers place an enormous strain on the NHS and – placing this in context – haven’t we just spent the last year hearing and seeing repeated messages about protecting our healthcare system from being overwhelmed? So while they stop short of allowing us to get e-cigarettes on prescription, the NHS are definitely upping the vaping ante.
This move comes on the back of the latest Public Health England (PHE) vaping evidence update in February 2021 “Vaping in England”. PHE have long been advocates of vaping as an effective way to stop smoking, indeed they’re a global leader in vaping research. Among the many evidence-based facts and figures in this latest report they state quite categorically that using a vaping product has some of the highest success rates in attempts at smoking cessation with over 50,000 people per year in the UK managing to quit smoking by switching to vaping. What’s more, they are twice as likely to succeed via e-cigarettes than with any other cessation products such as nicotine replacement patches or gum.
VAPING AND FAKE NEWS
It’s no secret that prolonged tobacco use can absolutely devastate the overall health of smokers, which when compared to vaping is significantly more dangerous. The UK has some pretty tough regulations governing the sale and distribution of nicotine-based e-cigarette products. Most of these concern the packaging of e-liquids, as well as minimum standards of safety and quality, the accuracy of consumer information and the implementation of protections to prevent under 18s accessing e-liquids and other vaping products.
Over 75,000 people die from smoking every year. There were three suspected fatalities in the UK linked to vaping between 2016 and 2021. But type the word “vaping” into any online search engine and you’ll get a raft of scare stories, misrepresentations of data and outright fake news. Far too many smokers still think vaping is more harmful than traditional cigarettes. This frustrates PHE no end, with Prof John Newton going so far as to say that thousands more smokers could quit except for “unfounded safety fears about e-cigarettes.”
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