NHS would save over £500m if half of smokers switched to vapes: UK research institute

 

According to a study by Brunel University in London, the NHS could save more than half a billion pounds a year if half of British adult smokers switched from cigarettes to e-cigarettes.

According to a study by Brunel University in London, the NHS could save more than £500 million a year if half of adult British smokers switched from cigarettes to e-cigarettes, EveningStandard reported on August 8th.

 

E-cigarettes equate to £518 million

Researchers at Brunel University London calculated that 13.6% of the population aged 18 and over in England will smoke from 2019 to 2021.

 

The survey showed that the lowest proportion of smokers occurred in the South East (12.2%), 14.6% in the North West, 15% in the North East and 15% in Yorkshire.

 

The research suggests that if 50% of all smokers switched to e-cigarettes, hospital admissions would be reduced by 13%, equating to a saving of £518 million. In London, around £53 million would be saved.

 

The researchers analyzed the risk of five diseases: cancer, heart disease, stroke, chronic bronchitis, and emphysema. These diseases were linked to the cause of death from smoking and the risk of smoking habits.

 

Total health expenditure was then calculated by multiplying the average ward cost for a particular disease by the average length of hospital stay for that disease.

 

From 2019 to 2020, around 7.46 million people in England will die each year as a result of smoking, and around 506,100 people are estimated to be hospitalized.

The government has pledged to make England “smoke-free” by 2030 to reduce pressure on the future of the NHS.

 

Professor Moscone said that while the long-term effects of e-cigarettes were not yet known, previous studies had suggested they “would reduce exposure to chemicals affected by health risks by 90%”.

 

Anti-smokers and respiratory doctors say more is needed to help the public understand that e-cigarettes are less risky than cigarettes. A poll found that more than a quarter of smokers believe e-cigarettes are as dangerous as cigarettes.

 

A YouGov poll of 12,271 adults commissioned by Action on Smoking and Health (Ash) in the UK found that 43% thought vaping was as dangerous or more dangerous than smoking.

 

According to the latest figures, more than 100,000 children in London will be using e-cigarettes in 2021, and health experts have warned of an increase in e-cigarette smoking among teenagers.

 

It is illegal to sell e-cigarettes to under-18s, but the government has warned that e-cigarette companies are targeting children with colorful packaging and fruity flavors.

 

Deborah Arnott, chief executive of Action on Smoking and Health, said “misconceptions” about the dangers of e-cigarettes were “a barrier to smokers” and that it was important to “get the message across to smokers”. “and must be “tackled quickly”.