On the Eve of World No Tobacco Day, UK Health Secretary Says the Government Will Actively Promote Va

Recently, UK Health Secretary Neil O'Brien delivered a speech on smoking control, stating that e-cigarettes are a powerful tool for quitting smoking. The UK government is actively developing their significant potential for smoking cessation by providing free e-cigarettes to smokers, aiming for a nationwide "smoke-free" goal by 2030.

Cigarettes impose a heavy health and economic burden on the UK. Data shows that two out of three British smokers die from smoking-related causes. While cigarettes generate substantial tax revenue, the economic losses due to smokers being more prone to illness and unemployment are even more staggering. In 2022, tobacco tax revenue in the UK was £11 billion, while public spending related to cigarettes reached £21 billion, nearly double the tax revenue. "The notion that cigarettes bring net economic benefits is merely a secular myth," said Neil O'Brien.

To help smokers quit, the UK government has decided to promote e-cigarettes. A wealth of research evidence has confirmed that e-cigarettes are far less harmful than cigarettes, with high-quality evidence from international medical organizations like Cochrane indicating that e-cigarettes can be used for smoking cessation and are more effective than nicotine replacement therapies.

However, e-cigarettes are not without controversy. In response to concerns that e-cigarettes may attract minors, Neil O'Brien acknowledged that some brightly colored, low-cost, cartoon-themed disposable e-cigarettes are marketed to children, which are illegal products. The government has formed a special task force to crack down on these violations. This does not contradict the government's promotion of compliant e-cigarettes to smokers.

"E-cigarettes are a double-edged sword. We will do everything possible to prevent minors from accessing e-cigarettes while actively helping adult smokers quit using e-cigarettes," he said.

In April 2023, the UK government launched the world's first "switch to e-cigarettes before quitting" program, aimed at increasing the success rate of quitting by providing free e-cigarettes to smokers. Neil O'Brien introduced that the program has successfully piloted in high-smoking-rate impoverished areas, and the government will next provide free e-cigarettes and a series of behavioral support to 1 million British smokers.

More and more British smokers are successfully quitting through e-cigarettes. Data shows that just a few weeks after quitting, smokers' lung function levels improve by 10%, and the risk of diseases such as heart disease significantly decreases. Quitting smoking can save each smoker about £2,000 annually, which means that in impoverished areas, local consumption levels will be effectively improved.

"E-cigarettes can play an important role in helping the government achieve its smoke-free goal by 2030," Neil O'Brien stated, noting that the current use of e-cigarettes is still not widespread enough. More measures are needed to encourage adult smokers to switch to e-cigarettes quickly because "if they quit today, they won't be in a hospital bed next year."