One million smokers are being asked to trade cigarettes for vapes as part of a new government plan to improve the nation’s health and reduce tobacco use.
The world’s first Swap to Quit scheme, unveiled on Tuesday, will offer nearly one in five smokers in England a vaping starter kit and behavioral support to help them quit.
But is it better for smokers to use an e-cigarette, a device that allows you to inhale nicotine vapor, rather than lighting a traditional cigarette?
Here’s what we know so far about the new schedule and the health risks associated with e-cigarettes.
Why is the government offering free e-cigarettes?
Swap to Stop is part of a series of new measures aimed at meeting the government’s goal of eliminating smoking by 2030 and reducing the number of smokers to five percent or less.
Health Secretary Neil O’Brien, who issued a statement on Tuesday, is expected to say: “Up to two out of three smokers die from smoking. We will provide millions of smokers with new ways to quit smoking.
“We will fund a new national swap-to-stop program, the first of its kind in the world. We will work with local authorities and others to offer a free vaping starter kit to one million smokers across the UK.
The government’s three goals are to help more adults quit smoking; prevent children and non-smokers from starting to smoke; and use vaping as a tool for adult smokers who want to quit.
In 2021, smoking prevalence in England was 13%, the lowest on record. Doubling the excise tax on cigarettes since 2010 and funding local smoking cessation services have helped drive down tax rates.
However, an estimated 5.4 million people in England smoke tobacco, which remains the leading cause of preventable disease and death.
Recent data has shown that the Department of Health and Human Services estimates that one in four cancer deaths is attributable to smoking.
What does the Swap to Stop program include?
Nearly one in five smokers in England are offered a vaping starter kit and behavioral support to help them transition from smoking to vaping.
The programs will be managed by local authorities, who will be invited to participate later this year, and each will develop a program that suits their needs, as well as decide which population groups to prioritize.
The government also plans to discuss the introduction of mandatory cigarette leaflets that will contain positive messages and information to help people quit smoking.
The illegal sale of e-cigarettes will be stopped as part of measures to prevent the development of this habit in children and non-smokers, with the creation of an “illegal e-cigarette fight group” to combat sales. minors.
NHS data for 2021 shows that nine percent of children aged 11 to 15 used e-cigarettes, up from six percent in 2018.
And by the end of next year, financial incentives will be provided to pregnant women to help them quit smoking. This includes offering coupons and behavioral support.
It is hoped that this will reduce the number of children born with underweight or underdeveloped diseases and reduce the risk of miscarriages and stillbirths.
What are the health risks of vaping?
Switching from cigarettes to vaping comes with certain risks.
According to the NHS website, vaping carries some of the risk of cigarette smoking. However, the long-term dangers of vaping are not yet clear.
Electronic cigarettes do not produce tar or carbon monoxide, the two most harmful elements of tobacco smoke. But the NHS website says the liquid and vapor contain some potentially harmful chemicals that are also found in cigarette smoke, only in much smaller amounts.
A study last year by King’s College London for the Department of Health found that smokers who switch to vapes significantly reduce their exposure to toxins that contribute to cancer, lung disease and cardiovascular disease.
However, it states that people who have never smoked should not vape because it is unsafe, and researchers were particularly concerned about the dangers to children ingesting it.
The findings on vaping and smoking apply to short-term and medium-term use. The report focused on the risks associated with vaping compared to not vaping, and found that exposure to carcinogens, substances that can cause cancer, was similar, and in some cases higher, to vaping.
This is true for exposure to NNK (NNAL) chemicals, which the study found to be “strong lung carcinogens in animals and humans.”
In terms of toxins affecting the respiratory system, the risks for vapers and non-vapers were the same.
Lead author Anne McNeil, Professor of Tobacco Addiction at King’s, said: “Smoking is uniquely deadly, killing one in two regular heavy smokers, but about two-thirds of adult smokers who would actually benefit from switching to vaping are unaware of it. Vaping is less harmful.
“However, the evidence we reviewed suggests that vaping is likely unsafe. Therefore, we strongly advise anyone who has never smoked to start vaping or smoking.”
Source: I News
I’m Raymond Molina, a professional writer and journalist with over 5 years of experience in the media industry. I currently work for 24 News Reporters, where I write for the health section of their news website. In my role, I am responsible for researching and writing stories on current health trends and issues. My articles are often seen as thought-provoking pieces that provide valuable insight into the state of society’s wellbeing.