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Conventional Tobacco Control measures are not enough without e-cigarettes . It is clear now that vaping has an indispensable role in helping MPs hit tobacco control goals , and excluding it risks the full achievability of the control plan . Sir Kevin stressed that the UK and Ireland are currently under the same tobacco control laws , with only the former seeing a drastic fall in tobacco consumption . Ireland ’ s smoking rate is only down one percent in the last few years , compared to the UK , where it has fallen by a quarter . He attributes this to the UK ’ s greater proportion of vapers and e-cigarette promotion , claiming it “ demonstrates the effectiveness of e-cigarettes .”
“ It is very unfortunate that sensationalist media reports are creating an air of uncertainty around e-cigarettes and deterring many smokers from making the switch ” – Sir Kevin Barron MP
3
Teen vaping ( and smoking ) is falling . Underage e-cigarette use has been a thorn in the side of an industry working hard to meet compliance standards and improve its outreach into the general public . However , claims of e-cigarettes as a gateway to smoking are exaggerated . When running through the list of goals met in tobacco control , Parliamentary under Secretary of State for Public Health Steve Brine MP said that “ figures published last year showed that the prevalence of smoking ( in young people ) has reduced by a further percentage point from eight percent to seven percent since the publication of the plan . The number of e-cigarette users in that group is also falling .”
4
Public service cuts hurt stop smoking services ( and e-cigarettes as a part of them ). The integration of e-cigarettes into existing stop smoking services across the country remains a great opportunity for curbing tobacco consumption , but public health cuts have hamstrung this . Sharon Hodgson , Shadow Minister for Public Health , said : “ Stop smoking services are roughly 300 percent more effective than quitting by going cold turkey , but in some places the specialist services are being decommissioned altogether … I truly believe that the ambitions in the tobacco control plan cannot be achieved without adequate funding . “ We should encourage people to use smoking cessation aids , such as e-cigarettes , to help them to stop smoking , while keeping a watchful eye on any negative health outcomes , if there are any .” Sir Kevin cited a 2017 Cancer Research UK survey which revealed that budgets for local authority cessation services ranged from nil to £ 1.7 million , averaging £ 436,000 per local authority . Only 61 percent of local authorities offered specialist cessation services , with one-to-one or group support and access to medication . Some have even been replaced with a “ general lifestyle ” service . Tobacco control was said to be a high priority by 57 percent of the local authorities , but they lack the resources to achieve it . “ While 75 percent of local authority cessation services supported use of e-cigarettes , only 50 percent of primary care providers did so . We need a consistent approach in line with public health and NICE recommendations .”
The full transcript of this session can be accessed under the debate section at theyworkforyou . com , an open data service chronicling the happenings in the UK Parliament .
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