Over half a billion British pounds. This is how much the health service would save annually if half of all smokers in the UK switched to e-cigarettes. This is according to a new economic study from Brunel University London.
The UK researchers used official data on the number of smokers in different regions and calculated costs from five diseases with clear links to smoking. Currently, between 12% and 15% of the adult population smokes, depending on the region. In addition to deaths, the focus was on the costs of diseases such as cancer, various heart diseases, stroke, chronic bronchitis and emphysema. The researchers calculated the health expenditure for each disease in relation to the daily cost of a hospital bed in the UK.
"These diseases are a major burden on the health care system, which is already under severe pressure" says Professor Francesco Moscone, Brunel University London to the Independent.
Lower costs
At present, the cost of smoking is estimated to be almost £2 billion to the health service. According to the study, halving smoking, that is, even if smokers switch from smoking to vejping, would reduce hospital costs by 13%. In real terms, this amounts to over GBP 500 million annually (equivalent to almost SEK 7 billion).
"Smokers expose themselves to fewer risks, almost 90% fewer toxic chemicals, if they switch to e-cigarettes," says Francesco Moscone.
Unknown risks likely to be smaller
The long-term effects of vejpning are not fully understood, the researchers say. But according to British authorities for an individual, switching from cigarettes to e-cigarettes can significantly reduce the risk of future diseases. The researchers say the study clearly shows that it would have an impact on healthcare too.
"Encouraging the switch from cigarettes to e-cigarettes could be crucial to reduce the costs from smoking" Francesco Moscone tells The Independent.
Program for e-cigarettes
The study was published in the British Journal of Healthcare Management and according to the researchers behind the study, it is important that the UK government follows through on its program to reduce smoking to below five percent by 2030. One of the measures launched in the spring was to offer one million smokers the opportunity to test e-cigarettes for free via a so-called "Swap-to-stop program.
