Barnet Council has thrown its weight behind the most recent declarations made by Motion on Smoking and Well being (ASH) and the London Tobacco Alliance.

These organisations are main the cost towards vaping misinformation and advocating for accountable media reporting whereas selling clinically verified and exact knowledge on the topic.

Dr Tamara Djuretic, Joint Director of Public Well being and Prevention, Barnet Council and The Royal Free London Group, and Cllr Alison Moore, Chair of the Well being & Wellbeing Board at Barnet Council, say:

“We assist the usage of nicotine vapes that meet UK regulatory requirements as an assist for adults to quit smoking.

“For a smoker, smoking tobacco is clinically confirmed to be much more dangerous than switching to vaping. The wrong reporting about grownup vaping within the media is a trigger for concern as it’s possible turning people who smoke away from an assist to quitting that works, and so will considerably enhance their well being outcomes in the long run.

“We recognise that vaping just isn’t threat-free, so in the event you don’t smoke already, we urge you to not vape.

“The promotion of e-cigarettes to youngsters is a severe problem that wants stricter regulation, to cut back their affordability, attraction and accessibility to youngsters and younger folks. However, we should on the similar time guarantee grownup people who smoke usually are not discouraged from utilizing vaping to assist them stop smoking.”

Vaping is taken into account a much less dangerous various to smoking tobacco, which is the main reason for preventable sickness and loss of life within the UK, claiming practically 75,000 lives yearly in England alone and exacerbating well being inequalities and poverty.

Passive smoking additionally poses dangers to moms and infants, resulting in outcomes akin to miscarriage and sudden toddler loss of life syndrome. Nevertheless, regardless of vaping being probably the most efficient instruments for quitting smoking, in 2023, over 1 / 4 of grownup people who smoke haven’t tried it as a result of adverse media portrayal.

It’s essential to notice that vaping just isn’t a gateway to smoking, as e-cigarette use has elevated whereas smoking charges amongst youngsters have declined.

The Chief Medical Officer for England, Sir Chris Whitty, emphasises that for people who smoke, vaping is a safer possibility, however non-people who smoke ought to keep away from it.