Prime Minister Rishi Sunak recently announced his plan to eventually ban smoking in the UK.
He plans to raise the smoking age by a year for every year, meaning that a 14-year-old today will ‘never legally be sold a cigarette’.
But, while ciggies are obviously still doing the rounds, it’s vaping that’s really swept the younger generation.
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So if you’re not smoking, it’s possible you’re busy puffing on one of those coloured bars – or at least you know someone who is.
However, it’s bad news for vapers as the UK is also looking to have a crackdown on vaping.
With the government hoping to find a way to tighten up on the addictive devices with new restrictions, you might be thinking of just how to give it up altogether.
And while you could be hoping for an easy ditch, it’s actually said to be harder to quit than regular smoking.
So, the NHS actually recommends vaping for adult smokers ‘to support quitting smoking and staying quit’.
And evidence shows that vaping is substantially less harmful than smoking.
But are vapes harder than cigs to pack in altogether?
Well, as they are sold with varying nicotine amounts, some vapes can actually contain higher levels than cigarettes.
MedStar Health claims: “Vapes with nicotine can be as addictive as cigarettes, which doesn’t do anything to help you quit.
“In fact, some e-cigarettes can deliver even more addictive nicotine, making it even harder to give them up.”
And InSync also says: “The biggest reason teens cannot quit vaping is that the e-cig juice used in e-cigarettes can deliver a higher dose of nicotine than that found in conventional cigarettes.
“Naturally, the higher the dose of nicotine, the more addicted the vaper becomes, and the more difficult it becomes to quit.”
When it comes to quitting vaping, it’s recommended by experts and the NHS not to go cold turkey.
The NHS advises: “Gradually reduce the strength of nicotine in your e-liquid (if you are using a disposable vape, you could switch to a refillable device to do this).
“Extend the time between vaping.
“Set rules for yourself about where you do and do not vape, for example only outside of the home or only on breaks at work.”
A spokesperson from LloydsPharmacy added to Daily Record: “Of course, the ideal option is not to smoke or vape. However, vaping is substantially less harmful than smoking.
"We know vaping exposes users to fewer toxins and at lower levels than smoking cigarettes. Importantly, vapes do not produce tar or carbon monoxide, two of the most harmful substances in tobacco smoke."
Jess Battison