Smoking is being banned in more and more UK hospitals. But vejpning is allowed - to encourage smokers.
"We want to give more smokers a reason to switch to e-cigarettes," says John Newton of the Public Health England (PHE).
More and more hospitals in the UK are banning smoking on their premises. At the same time, hospitals are encouraging smokers to use electronic cigarettes by setting up special 1TP8 boxes. This time, it concerns psychiatric care in the county of Cumbria.
"Smoking and second-hand smoke increases the risk of a wide range of diseases. We have an obligation to protect our patients from this. And creating a completely smoke-free environment is an important part of that work" says David Muir, responsible for the Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust (CNTW), which runs several mental health facilities, among others.
E-cigs reduce risks
In Sweden it applies to the general smoking ban both analog and electronic cigarettes. But in the UK, hospitals, together with the authorities, have a different approach to reducing smoking.
"There is no time when it is better to continue smoking than to switch completely to e-cigarettes." Says John Newton, responsible for health improvement at Public Health England to the BBC and states that injury risks are reduced by up to 95% for smokers who switch from cigarettes to e-cigarettes.
Smoking more than average - dying earlier
As Vejpkollen previously reported, people with mental health problems smoke significantly more than the average. Mortality in the group with severe mental illnesses is also significantly higher. Life expectancy in this group is 15-20 years lower than the UK average. And according to the NHS, smoking is the biggest cause.
Meanwhile, independent UK studies show that e-cigarettes are the method which works best when people with mental health problems try to quit smoking, especially in combination with professional support. UK health authorities, medical societies and health organizations therefore actively encourages smokers to switch to e-cigarettes, if the will is there.
"We want to make good and prudent use of the opportunities that e-cigarettes offer to smokers who want to switch" says John Newton to the BBC.
Hospitals allow e-cigarettes
Health authorities have also been actively working to make hospitals smoke-free since 2018. Several NHS hospitals have since banned smoking and offer instead the possibility to use e-cigarettes. This now also applies to the mental health facilities run by Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust (CNTW).
"Vaping is significantly less harmful than smoking and e-cigarettes may therefore be used in designated places" says David Muir from CNTW, to local newspaper News & Star.
