Public Health England today announced that they will be endorsing vaping products in their Stoptober campaigns for the first time.
Professor John Newton, director of health improvement at PHE, said “the evidence is clear – vaping is much less harmful than smoking – a fraction of the risk. So if you’ve struggled with quitting before, an e-cigarette may be the best option for you.”
Please read our full statement welcoming this development below:
“Public Health England’s commitment to encourage smokers to switch to vaping in Stoptober is hugely significant to our nation’s health. The government’s Tobacco Control Plan set out their intentions to promote vaping as a viable alternative to smoking and it is encouraging to see that this was more than just warm words. It feels that at last the tide is beginning to turn; the UK is leading the way on vaping as an effective tool to reduce and stop smoking related disease.
“As an industry, we have consistently called for recognition of the public health potential of vaping on the back of mounting evidence from respected organisations such as Public Health England, Cancer Research UK, the Royal College of Physicians.
“The Scottish health authorities also seem to be following the same logic. We call on the Welsh Government to make the same commitment, which was notably absent from their recent Tobacco Control Strategy.”
The announcement has had wide pick up in the press, including The Times, the BBC, The Telegraph, and more. Our reaction was quoted in today’s Evening Standard, which you can read here. We’re also on Twitter, you can follow us at @Vaping_Industry.