UK government to offer one million smokers vape starter kits in ‘first of its kind’ scheme

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The announcement is set to be made today and will be described as ‘the first of its kind in the world’

The UK government is today set to announce a new scheme designed to help smokers kick the habit. The scheme will see around one million smokers offered vape starter kits in a ‘swap to stop’ plan.

Another aspect of the scheme, which is set to be confirmed later today, is that pregnant women will be offered £400 to get them to stop smoking. The scheme is being labelled as ‘the first of its kind in the world.’

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Health minister Neil O’Brien is expected to say the kits will be offered to around one in five smokers in the UK. There will also be a consultation launched on introducing ‘mandatory advice’ on quitting smoking to be placed in cigarette packs.

The step up in efforts to stop people smoking comes just months after it was confirmed the UK government was years behind its smoke-free target of 2030. A Cancer Research UK report predicted this target will not be met until around 2039.

Mr O’Brien is set to say: "Up to two out of three lifelong smokers will die from smoking. Cigarettes are the only product on sale which will kill you if used correctly.

Wigan ranked sixth among UK "cities" for the number of Google searches for "how to quit smoking"Wigan ranked sixth among UK "cities" for the number of Google searches for "how to quit smoking"
Wigan ranked sixth among UK "cities" for the number of Google searches for "how to quit smoking"

"We will offer a million smokers new help to quit. We will be funding a new national ‘swap to stop’ scheme - the first of its kind in the world. We will work with councils and others to offer a million smokers across England a free vaping starter kit."

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