England has announced an ambitious plan to cut smoking rates to 5% or less by 2030. As part of this plan, the government will be encouraging smokers to switch to vaping through a pioneering new scheme called 'swap to stop'. The scheme will provide almost 1 in 5 of all smokers in England with a vape starter kit and behavioural support to help them quit smoking.

 

The new policies aim to help more adults quit smoking, stop children and non-smokers from taking up vaping, and use vaping as a tool for established adult smokers to quit. The government also plans to consult on introducing mandatory cigarette pack inserts with positive messages and information to help people quit smoking.

 

Additionally, there will be a crackdown on illicit vape sales as part of measures to stop children and non-smokers from taking up the habit, which is growing in popularity among young people. A call for evidence on youth vaping will also be launched to identify opportunities to reduce the number of children accessing and using vape products.

 

The plan also includes financial incentives for pregnant women to help them quit smoking. Pregnant women will be offered vouchers, along with behavioural support, to all pregnant women who smoke by the end of next year. This will reduce the number of babies born underweight or underdeveloped with health problems requiring neonatal and ongoing care. It will also reduce the risk of miscarriage and stillbirth.

 

Cutting smoking rates will reduce the number of smoking-related illnesses needing to be treated, in turn reducing the pressure on the NHS and helping to deliver on the government's priority to cut NHS waiting lists.

 

Smoking prevalence in England in 2021 was 13% - the lowest on record thanks to measures such as doubling duty on cigarettes since 2010 and continued funding to local stop smoking services. However, 5.4 million people in England smoke tobacco, which remains the single biggest cause of preventable illness and death. Up to 2 out of 3 lifelong smokers will die from smoking, and recent data shows 1 in 4 deaths from all cancers were estimated to be from smoking.

 

The use of vaping as a tool for smoking cessation has been controversial in the past, with concerns around the safety and long-term effects of vaping. However, Public Health England has stated that vaping is at least 95% less harmful than smoking and has the potential to help smokers quit.

 

The success of England's plan to cut smoking rates will depend on the effectiveness of measures to stop children and non-smokers from taking up vaping and the success of the 'swap to stop' scheme in encouraging smokers to switch to vaping.

 

Overall, the plan represents a significant step forward in the battle against smoking-related illness and death in England. If successful, it could be a model for other countries to follow in the future.