The PHE E-Cigarette Review February 2018
On the 6th of February 2018, PHE (Public Health England) published their latest update on e-cigarettes.
Key Findings
The review paints a very positive picture of vaping, and its key findings are in line with the average vaper’s thoughts.
The review found that:
- Vaping poses a fraction of the risk compared to smoking.
- Switching completely from smoking to vaping has substantial health benefits.
- E-cigarettes could be assisting with 20,000 new quits every year.
- E-cigarette use is linked to improved quit success rates a drop in smoking rates across the country.
- Evidence does not support the claim that e-cigarettes are a route into smoking among young people.
- Thousands of smokers incorrectly believe that vaping is as harmful as smoking, around 40% of smokers have not even tried an e-cigarette.
What Does This Mean For Vapers?
This review has helped disprove some very common anti-vaping arguments. Arguments based on the harm that vaping can cause. The review focuses heavily on the fact that vaping is at ‘95% less harmful’ than smoking and poses a ‘negligible risk to bystanders’.
A common argument is that vaping is a way to get young people to start smoking earlier, prof. Linda Bauld of Cancer Research has said: ‘research clearly shows that regular use of e-cigarettes among young people who have never smoked remains negligible, less than 1%, and youth smoking continues to decline at an encouraging rate.’.
This is positive news and helps point out that there is effective regulation in place to stop young people being given access to e-cigarettes. More importantly, It also shows that the use of e-cigarettes should not be considered as a stepping stone towards smoking.
The review also points to the fact that moves need to be made by bodies to support the use of Vape Kits, that ‘Local stop smoking services and healthcare professionals – should provide behavioural support to those smokers wanting to quit with the help of an e-cigarette.’
This is music to our ears, the fact that vaping is not only safe, but an effective way to get people to stop smoking.
What Does This Mean For Smokers?
It means that time is running out. Prof. John Newton, Director for Health Improvement at PHE said: ‘Every minute someone is admitted to hospital from smoking, with around 79,000 deaths a year in England alone.’
Smoking is still the leading cause of preventable deaths in the UK. Even with declining rates of smoking there is still more that can be done. By getting rid of false information surrounding the use of e-cigarettes and e-liquids while showing how helpful they can be, the PHE review will hopefully convince more people to switch to vaping.
How Has This Helped Vaping?
By collecting evidence and research from a number of independent and confirmed sources, the PHE review has highlighted that e-cigarettes are devices that should be taken seriously rather than a novelty/fad.
As well, that vaping is a safer and more reliable way to quit smoking. The fact that the use of e-cigarettes is 95% safer than smoking, is not something that should be ignored.
We hope that more research like this will take place and be published, so we can continue supporting the vaping industry and their users.
Where Can I Get More Information?
The full PHE review can be read here
A press release for the review can be read here
For more information or to get in touch, please don't hesitate to contact us
