Public confusion around vaping needs to be addressed: Fresh responds to new vaping data
North East tobacco control programme, Fresh, has said that new data out today shows myths around vaping are keeping people trapped in smoking – and is calling on the Government to ensure people are given the correct information on nicotine vaping.
The data [1] released by Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) shows that the estimated overall proportion of people who vape in Great Britain has stalled in the last year.
The research from ASH found that 10% of adults vape. Meanwhile 7% of 11–17-year-olds currently vape, which includes vaping less than once a month.
In the North East, over half of adults surveyed (57%) [2] believe that vapes are either just as harmful or more harmful than tobacco cigarettes. This is despite nicotine vaping being far less harmful. Tobacco smoking remains the leading preventable cause of death and ill-health in the North East – killing up to two in three long term smokers.
Ailsa Rutter OBE, Fresh and Balance Director, commented: “There are too many misperceptions around vaping and it’s vital that people are given the correct information if they use vaping to quit smoking.
“No one wants children to start vaping and that’s why we support the measures in the Tobacco and Vapes Bill to reduce access to young people. However, the issue of children vaping shouldn’t be confused with adults who use vaping to help them stop smoking.
“The message to people who smoke is clear – nicotine vaping poses a fraction of the risks of lethal tobacco smoking. While not totally risk free, vaping is an effective way to support people who smoke to stop. It is crucial that we give smokers every chance to quit and switch away from the biggest cause of cancer and preventable disease.
“This is part of creating a smokefree future for the UK while doing what we can to reduce the appeal of vaping to children.”
The Tobacco and Vapes Bill [3] is still awaiting committee stage in the House of Lords (with the second reading on 23rd April). Fresh shares national concerns that the slow passage of legislation is harming both children and adult smokers, with young people at continued risk from vape marketing and adult smokers less likely to know that vaping is less harmful than smoking.
Marty King, a dad of three from Middlesbrough, quit smoking when his wife fell pregnant. He used a vape to help him quit for good and is sharing his story to address the misconceptions about using vaping to support a quit attempt.
“Like many people who smoke it took more than one attempt for me to quit smoking. I tried to quit cold turkey, but eventually it was vaping that helped me quit for good.
“I was always looking for an excuse to start again. That’s the addiction. I personally wanted to do it on my own, but the vape helped me massively.
“Vaping gave me the crutch I needed. It’s a way to keep the hand-to-mouth habit at first, but without all the harmful chemicals. I felt much healthier vaping than I did smoking.”
Marty is concerned as the misunderstanding about vaping impacts the number of people who use it as a tool to quit.
“Clearly if you don’t smoke, the advice is don’t vape. But if you are smoking, vaping is one of the best ways to quit smoking. I think there’s a danger that people lump smoking and vaping together.
“From my experience, they couldn’t be more different in terms of the impact on your health. Yes, vaping helped me quit but it’s not the same as smoking. I am now breathing better, coughing less and playing sports more often.”
To reinforce the North East’s vision and commitment to a smokefree future, Fresh with support from local authorities and the North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board, has launched the Declaration for a Smokefree Future – a commitment to end the death and disease of tobacco.
