UK Government To Offer One Million People Vapes To Cut Smoking Rates

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Mirage News: 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 one in five of all smokers in England will be provided with a vape starter kit alongside behavioral support to help them quit the habit as part of a series of new measures to help the government meet its ambition of being smoke-free by 2030 — reducing smoking rates to 5% or less. Local authorities will be invited to take part in the scheme later this year and will design a scheme which suits its needs, including deciding which populations to prioritize. In a speech today, Health Minister Neil O’Brien will also announce that following the success of local schemes, pregnant women will be offered financial incentives to help them stop smoking. This will involve offering vouchers, alongside behavioral 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. Health Minister Neil O’Brien said in a statement: “Up to two out of three lifelong smokers will die from smoking. Cigarettes are the only product on sale which will kill you if used correctly. We will offer a million smokers new help to quit. We will be funding a new national ‘swap to stop’ scheme — the first of its kind in the world. We will work with councils and others to offer a million smokers across England a free vaping starter kit.” Read more of this story at Slashdot.