A press release by the World Vapers’ Alliance (WVA) welcomed the development. “The draft new guidelines on how to effectively help smokers to quit, published today, state that:
- ‘nicotine-containing e-cigarettes can help people to stop smoking and are similarly effective to other cessation options’ and
- ‘people should be able to use e-cigarettes as one of several options to support smoking cessation, if they so choose.’”
The UK’s successful approach
The UK has been a leader in endorsing the use of safer alternatives to reduce tobacco harm, and local smoking rates are reflecting this. “Once more the UK is setting an example for the world on how to effectively and pragmatically help smokers to quit. The UK authorities are following the evidence and supporting a tool that actually works. They are supporting smokers to switch to vaping,” said WVA Director Michael Landl.
Public Health England (PHE), also an agency of the UK Ministry of Health, has similarly been recommending switching from smoking to using e-cigarettes for a number of years. “Due to this proactive approach, the UK sees better results in reducing smoking compared to countries where vaping is restricted” Landl continued. “The UK’s successful public health and vaping policies should be followed by other countries around the world”.
The PHE’s latest report on vaping
In fact, the PHE’s seventh independent report on vaping in England, which highlighted the points listed below, has been commended by countless tobacco harm reduction experts.
- “Vaping is the most popular aid (27.2%) used by smokers trying to quit in England in 2020
- More than 50,000 smokers stopped smoking in 2017 with the aid of vaping
- 38% of smokers believed that vaping is as harmful as smoking while 15% believed that vaping is more harmful”
Landl concluded that by going against the current and basing decisions on science, the UK is a source of hope for the rest of the world. “The UK is the beacon of hope for sensible public health policy when it comes to the fight against smoking. Instead of continuing their ideological fight against vaping, governments and the WHO should follow the science and listen to the millions of vapers who successfully quit. Fortunately, the UK is leading the way.”
