How can vaping play a part in quitting smoking?

Smoking is one of the biggest causes of death and illness in the UK.

Every year around 76,000 people in the UK die from smoking, with many more living with debilitating smoking-related illnesses.

According to the Office for National Statistics 12.9% of Brits aged 18 years and over, or around 6.4 million people in the UK, smoked cigarettes in 2022.

While it is undeniable that quitting tobacco use is the best option for health, according to the NHS, vapes can be less harmful than cigarettes, and specific vapes can help you quit smoking for good.

Getting expert help from your local Stop Smoking Service gives you the best chance of quitting smoking for good.

However, a constant stream of negative headlines is currently leading to a misunderstanding of vaping, particularly among smokers.

According to public health group Action on Smoking and Health, 94% of smokers are currently aware of vaping, 43% mistakenly believe that vaping is as harmful as or even more harmful than smoking.

This misconception has grown by 60% since 2019.

These negative stories threaten to undermine the progress made by certain authorised e-cigarettes as a means to quit smoking over the last decade, and could prevent smokers and ex-smokers from accessing a proven and effective quitting aid.

UK consultation

In addition, in October the Government announced a UK-wide consultation on potentially restricting certain types of vaping products and flavours.

The consultation, which closes on 6 December, could also potentially see taxation on vapes introduced, or a ban on single-use products.

Any adults who vape or have successfully used vapes to quit smoking and no longer vape should respond to the government consultation.

Independent British Vape Trade Association campaign

The UK’s leading vape trade association, the Independent British Vape Trade Association (IBVTA) is seeking to challenge some of the misinformation and to educate smokers around the topic of vaping.

Alongside this, we are positioning the industry as a partner, not just in terms of smoking cessation, but also in terms of preventing underage vaping, encouraging responsible product disposal (with many thousands of recycling points across the UK), and avoiding illicit vaping products.

While the government has a role to play, the vaping industry also recognises its responsibility.

The IBVTA, representing the UK’s leading independent vape manufacturers, importers, distributors, and vendors, is running a major national public information campaign to meet this responsibility.

This campaign is accompanied by substantial new consumer insights that provide a comprehensive view of vaping, its various devices, and how smokers are using them to quit.

Our research uncovers the different types of vaping devices used by smokers at various stages of their quitting journey.

Vital role

While the media’s interest in vaping is undeniable, it should be grounded in facts and evidence, including the industry’s efforts and programmes to address recent concerns.

It should also reflect the compelling evidence that vaping, particularly when using flavoured devices, is pivotal in achieving respective UK Government’s smoke-free ambitions.

Amid the current debate and media coverage, we must ensure that the essential message of certain authorised vaping products as an aid in quitting smoking, remains undiluted.