It is not unusual to hear of people finally quitting smoking by switching to vaping products instead. However, while England is leading the way in providing support to those who wish to quit smoking, a new trial in Manchester looks set to garner big headlines.
Trafford Council is supporting a scheme whereby smokers in the Trafford region of Manchester can get their hands on a free vaping starter kit. Six local chemists are involved in the scheme, and those who are interested can visit one of the chemists to sign up for their free kit.
Public Health England already supports the use of electronic cigarettes to help people stop smoking. The scheme will see the kits given out along with advice from an advisor on how to stop smoking. E-cigs have already been confirmed as the most popular product chosen by smokers to help them quit. We suspect many other councils up and down the country will be watching the results of this trial very closely. Should it meet with success, we have every confidence we will start seeing similar trials popping up in other parts of the country.
The scheme clearly aims to make vaping more visible. Electronic cigarettes are already the most popular aid chosen by those who want to give up smoking. However, rates are still low, with PHE figures stating that just 4.1% of people trying to stop smoking using vaping tools to assist in their efforts.
By giving away free advice along with the free vaping kit, it is easy to see how that percentage could soon begin to rise. Could this be the first step towards seeing further drops in the percentage of smokers in England? Let us know what you think about this scheme in the comments below.
