According to a survey by Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), since the outbreak in March 2020, more than one million British smokers have quit.
Unfortunately, there has been very little good news in the media since March 2020’s global pandemic.
However, the large drop in smokers is definitely a silver lining — various reports show changing figures, but they all point to one thing —
more people quit smoking last year.
A survey was conducted from mid-April to mid-June, tracking the habits of 10,000 smokers during that period.
From this study, estimates were made that over one million smokers in England have quit since the start of the pandemic.
Office for National Statistics data show there were 7,200,000 smokers in England before the COVID-19 figures were issued.
University College London (UCL) data indicate a record number of smokers quit in the year to June 2020. The UCL survey, running since 2007, shows the highest quit rate to date: 7.6% (June 2019/2020).
During this period, not only did a large number succeed in quitting, but 440,000 more smokers attempted to quit (ASH survey), and 41% of those who quit said their decision was directly related to the coronavirus.
SMOKING DURING CORONAVIRUS
There is strong evidence that COVID-19’s effects can be much more severe in smokers.
In March 2021, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said “heavy smoking worsens coronavirus outcomes.” Researchers at Guy’s and St Thomas’s Hospital and King’s College London suggest smokers infected with coronavirus are about twice as likely to be hospitalized as non-smokers.
ASH Director Deborah Arnott said: “More than one million smokers may have quit since COVID-19 hit Britain, but millions continue to smoke.”
Considering most in the UK followed lockdown rules, washed hands more, used sanitiser, and changed diet and exercise to reduce COVID risk, many smokers still choose to ignore medical advice and keep smoking.
Could the pandemic be a missed opportunity for the 6+ million adult smokers who continue?
WHY QUIT SMOKING DURING COVID-19?
COVID-19 is a viral respiratory infection affecting the lungs and airways. There is strong evidence that tobacco use is linked to an increased risk of respiratory illnesses and viral infections.
If you smoke, you’re at higher risk of contracting COVID-19 and more likely to have underlying smoking-related conditions, leading to worse outcomes.
Facing a respiratory pandemic, you’d expect smokers to quit en masse to protect themselves, leading to a noticeable drop in tobacco sales. Yet, despite many quitting, smoking appears to have increased among those who remain!
Pack-sales rose 7.3% to £12.4 billion in the year to 9 January 2021, while roll-your-own tobacco sales jumped 36.3%, from £3 billion to over £4 billion.
Common sense suggests smoking should fall during a pandemic, but these rises may reflect increased stress (working from home, illness), high depression levels, or the overall strain of lockdown.
UK GOVERNMENT ADVICE ON QUITTING DURING COVID-19
Evidence on quitting during the coronavirus is mixed, but gov.uk advises:
Smoking increases your risk and severity of COVID-19
If you can quit, you’ll see immediate health benefits and better chances of surviving COVID-19
E-cigarettes (vapes) are one of the best tools to help you quit and stay smoke-free
For most people, vaping remains far less harmful than smoking—and avoiding relapse is crucial
Despite sensationalist media spreading misinformation for shock value, the UK Government continues to support e-cigarettes, especially during the pandemic.
BENEFITS OF AN E-CIGARETTE DURING COVID-19?
There is growing evidence that e-cigarettes can help you quit, and over 3 million UK smokers have already used vaping successfully.
Using an e-cigarette can curb your urge to smoke and help manage nicotine cravings. But to get the most benefit, ensure you vape as needed with the correct nicotine strength in your e-liquid.
Vaping has proven to be a highly effective quitting aid because it addresses all smoking triggers: hand-to-mouth action, inhalation, throat hit, exhalation, and keeping your hands busy.
In fact, NHS Stop Smoking Services report up to 74% higher quit success when vaping is used versus going cold turkey. They also claim it’s the UK’s most popular quitting method.
CONSIDERING STARTING SMOKING DURING COVID-19?
SMOKO congratulates everyone who quit both before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. During lockdowns, our Tunbridge Wells store stayed busy with online click-and-collect orders.
We work hard to provide the best service, reflected in the influx of five-star reviews on Review.io and Google.
Since SMOKO’s founding nine years ago, we’ve prevented the consumption of over 275 million cigarettes and saved customers more than £100 million.
Many find e-cigarettes helpful to break the smoking habit—best of all, they lack the 4,000+ chemicals and 50 known carcinogens in traditional cigarettes.
Click to browse and buy the best e-cigarette models to help you quit smoking. Models
