Hassan Ahmed
No matter how well documented the detrimental effect of smoking has on one’s health are, there are still millions of smokers in Britain. The number of smokers has decreased but still stands at an estimated figure of over 6 million. With easier access to quit-aids and harm-reduction tools such as e-cigarettes, along with the negative perception of cigarettes and tobacco companies, the number of smokers will continue to steadily decreasing.
EOS Scientific’s research, a majority of Brits said that the NHS was not doing enough to help smokers quit and, despite a renewed effort in 2018 to make stop-smoking tools more available, ecigarettes are still by far the most popular method smokers are using to transition away from cigarettes.
Research from the Action and Smoking Health Group has suggested that smoking costs the NHS anywhere between £2bn and £6bn per year, making it one of the leading costs for the NHS. In fact, according to brand new nationally representative research from Vapemate, 48% of UK adults believe those cigarette smokers are the single biggest burden on the healthcare system. In the year that sees the NHS experience £2.7bn worth of cuts, these statistics cause a lot of concern, amplifying the growing public sentiment that smoking no longer has a place in modern society. And yet, many UK smokers don’t have the support in place to cut out cigarettes.
EOS Scientific’s research has unveiled:
- More than half (54%) of Brits believe that the health warnings on cigarettes don’t pack enough of a punch, representing 14 million people nationwide who believe they don’t help people quit
- 48%, representing 12 million UK adults, think smokers are the biggest drain on the NHS
- 18% of Brits have had sexual experiences stunted by the health effects of smoking cigarettes, increasing to 30% for those aged 18-34
Simon Manthorpe, CEO of Vapemate has offered insight;
“Men’s Health Week is incredibly important to millions of people and raises crucial issues in the public sphere. It should not be underestimated how many Brits suffer from health issues caused by smoking and do not discuss with their friends and family, never mind their GP. The availability of quit aids is very important to people need greater exposure.
However, it is hard to deny the fact that alternatives, such as ecigarettes and other NHS accredited quit-aids, would alleviate some of the pressure. For those finding it difficult to quit this January, you are not alone. It would seem that more than half of Brits believe the government’s measures to dissuade cigarette smokers from picking up a packet are failing. 54% of Brits stated that the health warnings and plain packaging initiatives on tobacco products are not enough of a disincentive. Public attitude towards ecigarettes is due to shift in 2019, making the devices a more viable harm-reduction alternative to smoking. With the help of medical bodies like Public Health England and the NHS, ecigarettes will be able to deliver on their purpose and dramatically reduce the number of cigarettes smokers worldwide.”
