A promising study outlining predictions for the decline in smoking across the UK has been published recently by analysts Frontier Economics. The Tobacco Giant Phillip Morris have commissioned the study into the continued smoking habits in the UK, as they put more focus on heat not burn products.
Smoking rates in the UK have been declining rapidly, with the government’s hope for a smoke free generation looking more and more achievable in the not so distant future. In 1990 it was recorded that around a third of UK adults were regular smokers, a number that has now dropped to just 15%. These figures mirror the rise in popularity of e-cigarettes, and more recently heat not burn devices, which are used as a safer alternative to smoking, as well as an increased uptake in NHS run stop smoking services.
The study estimates that the last cigarette to be smoked will be in 2050, and has even been able to identify the smoking decline in specific towns and areas by analysing health data, employment, income and education. Predictions identify Bristol to be the first town to become smoke-free as early as 2024, closely followed by Berkshire, Woking and York by 2026. It is estimated that by 2040 less than 5% of the adult population will still be classed as smokers.
The use of e-cigarettes has played a big part in helping around 7.4 million adults in the UK successfully give up smoking, although uptake of e-cigarettes is beginning to plateau somewhat. Many health organisations, such as Public Health England, are urging current smokers to consider making the switch from smoking to vaping, in the interest of leading a healthier lifestyle and preventing the damage and NHS burden that prolonged smoking could do.
A combination of e-cigarette use and the support and advice that can be gained from visiting a stop smoking clinic has been found to be the most effective way for smokers to successfully kick the habit, and campaigns such as the upcoming Vaping Awareness Month VApril hope to better inform those who are currently unaware or misinformed of the benefits to giving up smoking through use of an e-cigarette. Unfortunately, there is still a large portion of the public that falsely believe e-cigarettes to be as harmful as smoking, preventing them from making the switch. As many as 40% of current smokers are uninformed about the true statistics, that e-cigarettes are ‘at least 95% less harmful than smoking’ and that research so far finds no links to cancer.
The spread of this information could be crucial to helping us achieve the national goal of a smoke free generation, and more and more organisations are joining the fight against scaremongering and miscommunication with regards to the effects of e-cigarettes on health.
Co-founder and owner of Evapo, Andrej Kuttruf, has responded to the promising estimates made in this study with the following statement:
‘This is incredibly big news, but as a company we would love to see this change happen even sooner to help improve the health of our nation and lessen the burden on the NHS caused by preventable smoking related diseases. With 1500 different vape shops across the UK, if we convert 650,000 smokers a year into vapers, which would be just a little over 1 person a day per shop, this goal could be achieved as early as 2030.’
- Andrej Kuttruf, CO Founder & Owner of Evapo Vape Shops
If you are considering vaping as an alternative to smoking, pop in to your local Evapo store and speak to a member of our team for advice and information about your options.
You can also shop our full range at Evapo online and view a wide range of reviews, advice and vape related news on our blog.
