Lucas made his comments as Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) released a report stating that there has been an "e-cigarette revolution" over the past decade. The report is based on ASH's annual survey of over 13,000 adults in the UK, conducted by YouGov.
As we say in the world of Tobacco Harm Reduction (THR), the consumer is the evidence. These survey results from the United Kingdom are shocking and, frankly, represent a powerful motivation for other countries to follow suit," said Ms. Lucas. The latest survey by ASH confirms that the main reason for using e-cigarettes by users is to quit smoking and prevent them from picking up deadly habits again. Former smokers also say they like vaping as it saves them money.
Following this, smoking became less popular in the UK. In England, the number of adults who smoke has decreased from 20% in 2011 to 14% in 2019. Furthermore, research conducted by ASH found that in 2017 alone, 70,000 former smokers in England were affected by vaping.
Across the Asia-Pacific region, country after country is legalizing and regulating e-cigarettes, as bans prove ineffective. Countries like the UK and New Zealand have adopted a stepped approach to Tobacco Harm Reduction (THR), with evidence showing success. "If adult smokers have reasonable access to e-cigarette products, they will switch, they will survive," she said.
According to CAPHRA, the latest ASH survey in the UK has dispelled international fears that e-cigarettes are a gateway to smoking, rather than an exit strategy. Compared to 800,000 ten years ago, there are now 4.3 million e-cigarette users in the UK, of which approximately 2.4 million are former smokers, 1.5 million are current smokers, and 350,000 have never smoked before.
More than 90% of e-cigarette users in the UK are either former or current smokers, with over 8% never having smoked before. This means that almost every person who vapes does so in order to quit or reduce smoking. Only a relatively small percentage of non-smokers use e-cigarettes and typically only on an experimental or occasional basis, with even fewer going on to become regular smokers. This constitutes important evidence for the effectiveness of e-cigarettes," she said.
Although the UK's ASH describes this finding as good news, its CEO is calling on the government to take greater action to address the issue of smoking and pointing out that the recent increase of young people using e-cigarettes is concerning.
Teen vaping is a global phenomenon, and CAPHRA continues to urge parents to take responsibility and to call for stronger enforcement in areas where e-cigarettes are regulated. Retailers who sell products to minors must feel the full force of the law. No one wants underage individuals to vape. At the same time, adults looking to quit smoking need access to safer nicotine products.
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