Smoking rates are in free fall in the UK, with almost one point gained against tobacco from one year to the other, over the last decade. The last official number for the year 2015 is 16.9% smokers, against 17.8% in 2014 and 19.2% in 2012.
Ex-smokers may outnumber smokers in the near future
In 2015, 2.5 million smokers tried to kick the habit and one out of five was successful at joining the 14.6 million ex-smokers in the country. For Public Health England, quitting rate is one of the highest, to date. And the reason for this success, according to the experts, is the increasing popularity of the e-cigarette.
E-cigarettes, more popular than NRTs among smokers
Compared to the 700,000 smokers who used a licensed nicotine replacement method in their attempt to stop smoking, more than a million people said they used an e-cigarette. By the way, their sales have increased as the prescriptions of NRTs decreased (1.3 million in 2014/15). Maybe a sign that the e-cigarette, despite alarming headlines in newspapers, retains public’s faith?
With the forthcoming smoking national smoking cessation campaign, Stoptober 2016, PHE aims are supporting the remaining 7.2 million adults who smoke to complete cessation during 28 days in October 2016. Over 78,000 deaths, in England, are attributable to tobacco and, according to Prof Kevin Fenton, PHE’s national director of health and wellbeing.
