Smokers urged to swap cigarettes for vapes in world first scheme

One million smokers will be encouraged to swap cigarettes for vapes under a pioneering new ‘swap to stop’ scheme designed to improve the health of the nation and cut smoking rates.

As part of the world-first national scheme, almost 1 in 5 of all smokers in England will be provided with a vape starter kit alongside behavioural support to help them quit the habit.

The initiative was first successfully trialled in Salford, encouraging smokers to switch to vaping.

Local authorities will be invited to take part in the scheme later this year and each will design a scheme which suits its needs, including deciding which populations to prioritise.

Pregnant women will also be offered financial incentives to help them stop smoking. This will involve offering vouchers, alongside behavioural support, to all pregnant women who smoke by the end of next year.

The government will also consult on introducing mandatory cigarette pack inserts with positive messages and information to help people to quit smoking.

Additionally, there will be a crackdown on illicit vape sales as part of measures to stop children and non-smokers take up the habit - which is growing in popularity among young people as NHS figures for 2021 showed that 9% of 11 to 15-year-olds used e-cigarettes, up from 6% in 2018.

Sarah Price, Chief Officer for Population & Health Inequalities at NHS Greater Manchester Integrated Care, said: “Since 2017, Greater Manchester has been on a journey to become a smokefree city region and it’s great to see initiatives that have been successful in Greater Manchester being rolled out nationally as part of these new plans announced yesterday.

“Greater Manchester was one of the first places to pilot ‘Swap to Stop’, a harm reduction initiative that encouraged smokers in Salford to switch to vaping. Evaluation showed the initiative helped 62% of participants stop smoking, and vaping kits are now offered as a quitting aid, alongside nicotine replacement and prescribed medication, in many of Greater Manchester’s stop smoking services.

“Greater Manchester’s model for reducing smoking in pregnancy, which includes specialist support and financial incentives, has also contributed to a significant 25% reduction in the number of women smoking at time of delivery – the benchmark used to measure smoking status at the end of pregnancy – and additional investment can deliver a smokefree start for every baby by 2030.

“We also welcome new plans to support Trading Standards to crack down on illegal sales of vapes and prevent them getting into the hands of children, which is undermining their role as a highly effective stop smoking aid for adult smokers.”

As a result of Greater Manchester’s comprehensive approach to make smoking history, smoking rates in Greater Manchester have fallen to an all-time low, with just 15.4% of the adult population classed as smokers.

However, smoking remains the single biggest cause of preventable illness and death with an estimated 5,700 adults in the city-region dying each year from smoking-related causes.

For free, personalised support to stop smoking visit www.makesmokinghistory.co.uk or call the NHS Stop Smoking Helpline on 0300 124 1044.