According to BBC on September 20, the rate of smokers in the UK based on data from Public Health England is only 16.9%. This is a success for vaping , which was voted the most effective method in quitting smoking in 2015.
Smoking rates in the UK have been in freefall, falling by 1% every year for the past decade. The official figure for 2015 was 16.9%, compared with 17.8% in 2014 and 19.2% in 2012.
The number of former smokers will definitely outnumber the number of current smokers in the near future.
In 2015, there were 2.5 million smokers trying to quit the habit, and only one in five of them succeeded, joining the 14.6 million former smokers in the country. According to Public Health England, this is the highest rate ever recorded. And the reason for this success, experts say, is the continued rise in popularity of vaping.
Among smokers, e-cigarettes are much more popular than NRT (nicotine replacement therapies).
Compared to the 700,000 people who use licensed nicotine replacement methods to quit smoking, more than 1,000,000 say they have used e-cigarettes . And sales of e-cigarettes have increased while sales of NRT have decreased. Perhaps this is a sign that, despite all the alarming headlines, e-cigarettes are somehow gaining public trust?
“The decline in smoking rates is not the result of a single miracle, but rather the result of a combination of policies over centuries.”
- Quote from Rosanna O'Connor, director of PHE's drug, alcohol and tobacco division -
Chrish Kamara and Phil Tufnell of the Stoptober project
With the upcoming national smoking cessation campaign, Stoptober 2016, PHE's aim is to support 7.2 million adult smokers to quit completely in the 28 days leading up to October 2016. According to Professor Kevin Fenton, director of PHE, in the UK, 78,000 people die from smoking.
Dr. Mike Knapton
“Quitting smoking is the best thing you can do for your health. By quitting, you can significantly reduce your risk of fatal heart attacks and strokes.”
- Quote from Dr Mike Knapton, Deputy Medical Director of the British Heart Foundation -
This article was published on Vapingpost by Jérôme Harlay and translated by The Vape Club
