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Stoptober Puts More Focus on E-Cigarettes in Quit-Smoking Battle

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The government is looking for any way it can to get people off deadly cigarettes and is pinning its hopes on vaping.

No Vaping sign. Vape silver electronic cigarette device. Vector illustration. It's October, and that means Stoptober. The NHS' annual stop-smoking campaign is once again upon us and, here at Electric Tobacconist, we fully support its efforts to get people to finally stub out for good and save lives. Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the UK and every year around 100,000 people lose their lives to tobacco. The good news amid this grim situation is that smoking rates have been steadily falling in recent years and are now at an all-time low. But there are still close to 10 million people in the UK today who are regular smokers and putting their health at risk — and that of others, as secondhand smoke is also deadly. Certainly, the falling smoking rate can be attributed to increased awareness of just how harmful tobacco is, along with a general desire among a lot of people to live healthier, and more active and enjoyable lives. Plus, with the introduction of e-cigarettes onto the market a few years ago, there's now a real, affordable and much easier way to quit smoking and stay off cigarettes for good. This is the message our health authorities are pressing in their drive to get people off tobacco.

Bigger Vaping Support

Many people are now finding they can stop smoking by vaping instead and the NHS, which runs Stoptober, knows this. It's why this year there is a greater emphasis on e-cigarettes as a leading smoking-cessation method compared to last year. "E-cigarettes are a great way to fight cravings — and they carry a small fraction of the risk of cigarettes," the campaign says. This is because vaping delivers the nicotine that smokers want, without the many thousands of harmful chemicals given off by burning tobacco — at least 70 of which are known to cause various cancers. "E-cigarettes, also known as vapes, are one of the more recent stop-smoking aids to become available and they can help you quit smoking for good," Stoptober says, adding that there are almost three million people in the UK who currently vape. And the health service advises people that there is often confusion over nicotine and its risks — and that it's largely unwarranted. "Many people think nicotine is very harmful to health. In fact, although it is addictive, nicotine is relatively harmless — it's the thousands of other chemicals in tobacco smoke that cause almost all the harm from smoking." Stoptober adds: "Thousands of people in England have already stopped smoking with the help of an e-cigarette. Plus, those who combine an e-cigarette with help from their local Stop Smoking Service have a high chance of success. In 2017-18, two-thirds of smokers who did so managed to stop smoking."

Real Reasons to Quit Smoking

Stoptober offers three reasons for people to stop smoking today. First is their health, and it's surprising that, even after years of battering your body with toxic chemicals from cigarette smoke, once you stop, your health starts to improve almost immediately. Another reason to quit is to protect family members in your home, as secondhand smoke will almost certainly cause harm. Then, there's the financial impact of smoking and giving up for good. Every smoker knows all too well how incredibly expensive their habit is, as the government continues to heap taxes on tobacco to deter people from buying cigarettes. Vape gear and e-liquid refills cost relatively little and last for ages, meaning there are substantial financial benefits for those who use e-cigarettes to stop smoking. Stoptober estimates the savings at around £250 a month — that’s an impressive £3,000 saved a year by vaping instead of smoking. We wish smokers all across the country the very best this month in their fight to stop smoking and get healthier, and look forward to a smoke-free country in the years ahead. If you're struggling to quit smoking and are considering the NHS' advice to vape instead, try one of our e-cigarette starter kits, which come with great tobacco and fruity e-liquid flavours you'll love. Soon you could kiss all your smoking headaches goodbye and enjoy a life without the health risks.