The smoking rate in the UK is rapidly declining, mainly due to adults who want to quit smoking being able to turn to significantly less harmful electronic cigarettes," said Nancy Loucas, Executive Coordinator of CAPHRA (Coalition of Asia-Pacific Tobacco Harm Reduction Advocates).
As she made her statement, the UK's Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) released a report indicating that there has been an "e-cigarette revolution" over the past decade. The report is based on ASH's annual survey, conducted by YouGov, which comprised over 13,000 adults in the UK.
As we say in the world of tobacco harm reduction (THR), the consumers are the evidence. The results of these surveys in the UK are shocking and, frankly, represent a strong motivation for other countries to follow suit," said Ms. Lucas.
The latest survey by ASH confirms that the main reason for using electronic cigarettes among users is to quit smoking and prevent them from returning to the deadly habit. Former smokers also say that they like using e-cigarettes as it can save them money.
Subsequently, smoking became less popular in the UK. The number of adult smokers in England has decreased from 20% in 2011 to 14% in 2019. Additionally, an ASH survey found that in 2017 alone, 70,000 former smokers in England were affected by vaping.
The Asia-Pacific region is witnessing a trend of countries legalizing and regulating e-cigarettes, as bans have proven ineffective. Countries such as the UK and New Zealand are adopting a gradual approach towards tobacco harm reduction (THR), which has been successful according to data. "If adult smokers are allowed to use e-cigarette products in a reasonable manner, they will change, they will survive," she said.
A statement from CAPHRA relayed that the latest ASH survey in the United Kingdom has dispelled the ongoing international panic regarding electronic cigarettes being a gateway to smoking, rather than an exit from it.
Compared to the 800,000 electronic cigarette users ten years ago, there are now approximately 4.3 million in the UK, of which around 2.4 million are former smokers, 1.5 million are current smokers, and 350,000 have never smoked.
More than 90% of e-cigarette users in the UK are either former or current smokers, with over 8% of users having never smoked before. This suggests that almost every person who uses e-cigarettes does so to quit smoking or reduce their smoking. Few non-smokers use e-cigarettes, and those that do usually only experiment with them or use them infrequently, with even fewer continuing to use them long-term. This provides important evidence for the effectiveness of e-cigarettes," she said.
Although the Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) in the UK described this discovery as good news, its CEO called on the government to take greater action to address smoking issues and pointed out that the recent increase in young people smoking e-cigarettes.
Teenage vaping is a global phenomenon, and CAPHRA continues to call on parents to take responsibility while urging stronger enforcement in areas where e-cigarettes are regulated. Retailers selling to minors must feel the full force of the law. No one wants minors to vape. Meanwhile, adults looking to quit smoking require access to safer nicotine products.
The revolution of e-cigarettes is in full swing, but we need to ensure that underage smokers do not become revolutionaries. The latest survey from the UK shows that they are mostly at a disadvantage, but as usual, there is still work to be done," said Nancy Loucas.
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