New data from health charity Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) has found vapes have been the most popular aid to quitting among those who have successfully stopped in the last five years, according to data collected by YouGov for ASH which is carried out each spring.
The latest survey found that 5.6 million adults currently vape, 53% of which have stopped smoking, with 39% still smoking and 8% who have never smoked.
Among all those who stopped smoking in the last five years, just over half reported they used a vape - equating to 2.7 million people. Of those, a third have also stopped vaping and the average duration of their vaping was one year.
ASH chief executive, Hazel Cheeseman, said: “Millions of people have used vapes to successfully stop smoking in recent years, increasing healthy life expectancy and improving the nation’s productivity. Tougher vape regulations are urgently needed, but it’s important they’re calibrated to address youth vaping while not deterring use of vapes as quitting aids.
“The Government must also communicate more effectively that vaping is less harmful than smoking but not risk free, and should only be used as an aid to quitting.”
ASH is calling for a new Tobacco and Vapes Bill to be reintroduced urgently in order to address teenage vaping, but it s urging policy makers to ensure regulations do not undermine the value of vapes in quitting. In fact, their survey also shows the high level of public misconception about vaping, with half of adults believing it is as, or more, harmful than smoking when it is in fact much less harmful.
No comments yet