Switching to E-Cigs Could Save UK NHS Half a Billion

According to a report by the Evening Standard on August 8th, a study conducted at Brunel University in London reveals that if half of the adult smokers in the UK switch from traditional cigarettes to e-cigarettes, the National Health Service (NHS) could save over £500 million annually.

Switching to e-cigarettes is equivalent to saving £518 million.

Researchers at Brunel University London have calculated that 13.6% of the population aged 18 and above in England were smokers between 2019 and 2021.

A survey revealed that the lowest proportion of smokers was found in the southeast region (12.2%), while the northwest region recorded a rate of 14.6%. In contrast, the northeast region and Yorkshire had the highest prevalence of smokers at 15%.

Research has revealed that if 50% of all smokers switch to e-cigarettes, hospital admission rates could decrease by 13%, equivalent to saving £518 million. In London alone, this would result in savings of approximately £53 million.

Researchers analyzed data related to smoking as a cause of death, as well as the risk of developing five diseases due to smoking habits, including cancer, heart disease, stroke, chronic bronchitis, and emphysema.

Furthermore, the total healthcare expenditure is calculated by multiplying the average ward cost of a specific disease by the average length of hospital stay for that disease.

In England, smoking is responsible for approximately 74,600 deaths annually, and it is estimated that around 506,100 hospital admissions were related to smoking between 2019 and 2020.

Professor Francesco Moscone, an expert in Business Economics from Brunel University London, has stated that...

These diseases have imposed a substantial burden on the NHS, and we are aware that the NHS is already facing increasing pressure.

Opponents argue that e-cigarettes are as dangerous as traditional cigarettes.

E-cigarettes pose less harm compared to traditional smoking, but still present health risks.

The government has pledged to make England "smoke-free" by 2030, in an effort to reduce pressure on the NHS in the future.

Professor Moscow from the Faculty of Medicine emphasized that while the long-term effects of e-cigarettes remain uncertain, previous studies have indicated that they "can reduce exposure to chemicals that are the main contributors to health risks by 90%.

Anti-smoking campaigners and respiratory doctors are urging for more measures to help the public understand that e-cigarettes pose a lesser risk compared to regular cigarettes. A recent survey revealed that over a quarter of smokers believe that e-cigarettes are equally as harmful as traditional cigarettes.

A survey conducted by YouGov on behalf of the UK organization "Action on Smoking and Health" (ASH) has found that 43% of adults believe that using e-cigarettes carries a similar or higher level of risk compared to smoking traditional cigarettes.

Health experts have issued a warning concerning the increasing trend of e-cigarette use among adolescents. Latest data reveals that over 100,000 children in London have reportedly used e-cigarettes in 2021.

Selling e-cigarettes to individuals under the age of 18 is illegal, but the government warns that e-cigarette companies are targeting children by utilizing vibrant packaging and fruity flavors.

Deborah Arnott, CEO of "Smoking and Health Action," has emphasized the urgent need to address the "misconceptions" surrounding the dangers of e-cigarettes, describing them as a hindrance to smokers. She believes that these misconceptions must be promptly resolved.

However, despite smoking costing the NHS over £2 billion annually, the greatest benefit of reducing smoking to public finances would not be to the NHS, but rather to the reduction of expenditures on social security and social care, which together have a total cost of more than twice that of smoking to the NHS.

Last month, Steve Brine, Chairman of the Health and Social Care Committee, stated that the government can continue to communicate to the public about the potential value of e-cigarettes as smoking cessation aids, while also employing regulatory methods to prevent children's exposure to e-cigarettes.

References:

Half of UK smokers switching to vapes ‘could save NHS more than half a billion a year’