Giving up smoking


Public Health England (PHE) has said that it believes e-cigarettes should be available on prescription to help the many people in the UK who are trying to give up smoking. According to a review of the latest evidence, published by PHE, around 20,000 people are using e-cigarettes each year to help them quit smoking. The same report also indicates that they are 95% less harmful than real cigarettes.

 

In 2017, the Stoptober campaign also embraced the idea that e-cigarettes might be key in helping people to quit.

There is a lot of confusing information about smoking and E-cigarettes. The following advice may help:
  • electronic cigarettes can provide some of the nicotine that would have otherwise come from smoking regular cigarettes
  • electronic cigarettes are not a magic cure but some people find them helpful for quitting or cutting down their nicotine intake
  • there is a wide range of these available and you may need to try different brands, flavours and nicotine dosages before you find a brand you like
  • you may need to experiment and learn to use them effectively (e.g. longer drags are needed and a number of short puffs may be needed initially to activate the 'vapouriser' and improve nicotine delivery)
  • although some health risks from electronic cigarettes may yet emerge these are likely to be only a small fraction of the risks of smoking. They do not contain the same chemicals as cigarettes which cause lung and heart disease and cancer
Public Health England say that 'smoking remains England's number one killer and the best thing a smoker can do is quit completely, now and forever. E-cigarettes are not completely risk free but when compared to smoking, evidence shows they carry just a fraction of the harm. The problem is people increasingly they are at least as harmful and this may be keeping millions of smokers from quitting.
Local stop smoking services should support e-cigarette users.'


Emerging evidence suggests some of the highest quit rates are now seen among smokers who use an e-cigarette and also receive additional support from their stop smoking service.


Please ask at reception for details of our local stop smoking service which runs every Friday at the practice or ring:


Wakefield Stop Smoking Service 01977465449 or email:lisa.allen@swyt.nhs.uk for more details.


Good luck!

























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