E-cigarettes “95 per cent less harmful than smoking”

A new report claims that e-cigarettes are significantly less harmful to health than tobacco and have the potential to help smokers quit smoking.
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The findings, published by Public Health England (PHE), e-cigarettes are around 95 per cent less harmful than smoking.

The report adds that nearly half the population do not realise e-cigarettes are much less harmful than smoking.

And it claims that there is no evidence that e-cigarettes are acting as a route into smoking for children or non-smokers.

Councillor Teresa Heritage, Hertfordshire County Council’s cabinet member for public health, localism and libraries, said: “Smoking remains England’s number one killer and the best thing a smoker can do is to quit completely.

“Support from our free Stop Smoking Service is the most effective way for people to quit but we recognise the potential benefits for e-cigarettes in helping large numbers of people move away from tobacco.

“E-cigarettes are not completely risk free but when compared to smoking, evidence shows they carry just a fraction of the harm. However, people increasingly think they are at least as harmful and this may be keeping millions of smokers from using them to help quit smoking for good.”

Public Health England is a government agency which promotes good health across the country.

Its report highlights evidence that some of the highest successful quit rates are for smokers who use an e-cigarette and also receive additional support from their local stop smoking services.

Hertfordshire’s Stop Smoking Service provides free advice and support to help people give up smoking. It welcomes people who have chosen to give up using e-cigarettes and would actively encourage people to contact the service to speak to a specialist who can support their quit attempt, as this will make it much more likely that they will be successful in stopping smoking.

To find out more text SMOKEFREE to 80818, call 0800 389 3998, or visit www.hertsdirect.org/stopsmoking

For more information about other health initiatives in Hertfordshire, please visit www.hertsdirect.org/healthinherts