The British government announced plans on Tuesday (11) to encourage up to one million smokers to switch from cigarettes to “vapes,” in a global first.
As part of this scheme, the Department of Health (DoH) will provide almost one in five smokers with a starter kit for an e-cigarette, or vape, along with support to quit smoking.
Pregnant women will also be offered financial incentives in the form of vouchers to help them kick the habit, as part of the government’s goal of reducing the number of smokers in the population to 5% or less, down from the current rate of 13%.
According to the government, Health Minister Neil O’Brien ahead of the announcement stated that two out of three lifelong smokers will die from smoking, and that cigarettes are the only product on sale that will kill people if used correctly.
The government plans to provide new assistance to one million smokers to help them quit, through the funding of a new national “swap to stop” scheme.
The DoH reported that while smoking rates are higher globally, it remains the top preventable cause of death and illness in the UK.
In 2021-22, the government allocated 68 million pounds ($84.52 million) to support local authorities in their efforts to help people quit smoking.
This initiative led to 100,000 smokers quitting, which has helped to alleviate the burden on the overstretched National Health Service.
While vaping is seen as an alternative to smoking, some health officials remain critical of it, warning that its popularity among children is exposing them to chemicals whose long-term effects are not yet fully known.
In 2021, 9% of 11 to 15-year-olds in Britain had used e-cigarettes, up from 6% three years before, according to health service figures. In response, the government has pledged to create an enforcement team supported by £3 million in funding to stop the illegal sale of vapes to those under 18.
(With inputs from Reuters)
