UK govt is handing out 1 million free vapes because they want people to quit smoking
It seems Christmas has come early for smokers in the United Kingdom. The British Department of Health (DoH) has announced a new programme aimed at reducing the number of smokers in the country by distributing over 1 million vaping kits to the public.
The "swap to stop" programme is designed to offer one million smokers in England the opportunity to switch to e-cigarettes, or vapes, as a way of helping them quit smoking. Under the programme, smokers will be given a vaping starter kit and behavioural support to help them kick the habit.
Pregnant women will also be offered financial incentives to quit smoking, which will help reduce the risk of miscarriage and stillbirth, as well as the number of underweight or underdeveloped babies.
The programme is part of the UK government's goal of reducing the number of smokers in the UK to 5% or less of the population by 2030. Tobacco is still the highest preventable cause of death and illness in the country, and the government is committed to reducing the strain on the National Health Service. The government spent £68 million in 2021-22 on local authority measures to get people to stop smoking, leading to 1,00,000 smokers quitting.
The government's plans have been welcomed by Imperial Brands Plc, which produces the Blu vape brand, as well as Winston, Gauloises, and John Player Special cigarettes. The company believes that responsible vape providers have a role to play in helping adult smokers quit smoking.
Although, vaping has its critics, especially when it comes to children. It's a good thing the UK government is putting £3 million towards an "illicit vapes enforcement squad" to combat the illegal sale of vapes to kids. We wouldn't want them collapsing their lungs and looking like they've been smoking for 30 years.
Damn they got vapes for babies now pic.twitter.com/04J6Wvu6Jr
— HisH ™ (@HisH_Inc) February 8, 2019
Health officials have warned that its popularity among children is exposing them to chemicals whose long-term effects are unclear. Figures from NHS Digital published last year showed that 9% of 11 to 15 year olds used e-cigarettes in 2021, a rise from 6% in 2018.
It's no wonder many countries have banned vaping altogether, but at least in the UK they're taking a more measured approach. Who knows, maybe one day we'll see people vaping - on planes, trains, and automobiles. Just not in Australia, because that's illegal. Or in Thailand. Or Sri Lanka, Mexico, Iran, India, and Argentina.
The Australian government in particular has made it illegal to possess or use any nicotine vaping products without a prescription from a doctor, while Turkey has banned the sales of e-cigarettes, although it is not actually illegal to vape in the country.