Although the health benefits of e-cigarettes have been known for a while now, it has taken a decade to criticism and research before it’s been picked up as one of the best new ways to stop smoking for good.
Smoking has seen a huge cull in the last few years. With 1.5 million vapers nationwide saying that they’re ex-smokers, the industry has begun to boom as more and more vape e juices hit the market. On top of this, we’ve seen the first time that NHS backed “stoptober” has endorsed e-cigarettes as an effective way to give up the habit. So what is Stoptober, and what do the facts say?
What is Stoptober?
Stoptober is an event taking place over the month of October in England which sees over 150,000 people try to kick their smoking habit. The reason or using this month (except for the rhyming of course) is that it brings with it a sense of collective support. With a huge group, the one in five adults who smoke in the UK can find a support network and a timeline with which to keep to. It may lead to slightly crankier individuals during that month but the collective support you gain helps people get through this. With evidence showing that you would be five times more likely to quit smoking for good if you quit for a month, 28 days of one month seems like an apt amount of time to increase people’s chances of quitting. Run by Public Health England, the event helps many around the country, using various methods of smoking cessation.
E-cigarettes in 2016 Stoptober
One of those methods is now officially the use of vape juice. E cigarettes are now officially endorsed by the Public Health England groups as a healthier alternative to smoking and a great tool for smoking cessation. One of the main reasons for this is that in 2016 studies found that 1 in 20 over 16 year olds use e-cigarettes and that over a quarter of them are ex-smokers. It has also been recorded that one in five attempts to quit smoking were successful earlier this year. Part of the reason for this is in the rising popularity of e-cigarettes.
E-cigarettes and the NHS
Currently the NHS does not use e-cigarettes as one of its smoking cessation tools but has begun to put a positive spin on them as a great way to curb your habit. There is therefore still work to be done if e-cigarettes are going to rise above the cynics who believe it to be just as dangerous a habit.
The future looks optimistic though; if vaping is to establish itself as a reputable smoking cessation tool, then the evidence must be taken into account. The prestigious University College of London carried out tests which showed that 20 percent of the attempts to quit smoking in the first six months of 2017 were successful. 16 percent in the last decade were successful, showing that the new vaping trend may be having an effect on the way we approach nicotine. So, what are the reasons for this? Are times changing organically or is there a conscious push towards a vape free society?
Better science?
With scientific innovations allowing far more accuracy n results led testing, we are now seeing clearly defined trends of the benefits of vaping. With more and studies looking into the matter, it seems that the NHS and campaigns like Stoptober are beginning to notice.
Better marketing?
With the arrival of amazing flavours and a dedicated audience, it’s no wonder vaping has found a place in mainstream society. With so many innovations and great branding, vaping is becoming the next big thing as well as the most effective smoking cessation tool.