The World’s First Government-led Initiative! British Regional Governments Approve £2.2 Million To Distribute Free E-cigarettes
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The world's first government-led initiative! British regional governments approve £2.2 million to distribute free e-cigarettes
According to Coventrytelegraph, the Bristol region in the UK has applied for £2.2 million from the government to pay for 60,000 sets of equipment.
Nearly half of smokers in the Bristol area will receive free e-cigarette starter kits on the National Health Service (NHS) as part of a "world-first" initiative to help people quit smoking, according to Coventrytelegraph.
The local health department has successfully applied for £2.2 million from the government to pay for 60,000 units of equipment.
Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire (BNSSG) Integrated Care Partnership (ICP) committee heard the scheme aims to help smokers switch from cigarettes to e-cigarettes, which are considered safer cigarette.
At a BNSSG board meeting on November 29, BNSSG set a goal to become a "smoke-free region" - defined as a smoking rate of less than 5% of the adult population - by 2031. It is estimated that there are approximately 144,320 tobacco users in the region, 60% of whom are located in the city. To achieve the goal of becoming a smoke-free zone, approximately 24,000 smokers would need to quit smoking each year.
The government announced a ground-breaking free e-cigarette scheme called Swap to Stop in April and ICP's bid has just been approved.
Public health consultant Samuel Hayward told board members that Bristol had the highest smoking rates in the South West due to the legacy of the tobacco industry.
He said: "The evidence is clear that nicotine e-cigarettes are a far less risky option for smokers, carrying only a fraction of the risks of smoking in the short and medium term. E-cigarettes should be offered as an alternative to smoking , but should not appeal to the wider non-smoking population. E-cigarettes are not suitable for children – we need to reduce e-cigarette use and young people's exposure to vaping products."
Director of Public Health Matt Lenny said: "This is a significant opportunity for us. We very much welcome the change in policy and investment in services."
