STATISTICS ON SUCCESSFULLY QUITTING SMOKING AND HOW VAPING MAY RESTORE LUNG DEFENCE

An NHS report from September that looked at the results from monitoring the NHS stop smoking services from April 2020-March 2021, and found that the number of self-reported quitters (105,403) was considerably higher when compared with previous years.

Today, we’re going to break down some of the key points of this report and also touch on how switching from smoking to vaping might just restore your vital lung defences.

WHAT THE NHS REPORT SHOWS US

• 59% of people who successfully gave up smoking (self-reported). Of 178,815 people who decided on a specific day to quit, 105,403 were successful. Out of the people who successfully quit, 3% had their results confirmed by Carbon Monoxide verification.
• Successfully quitting (self-reported) increased with age. 45% of those aged under 18 were successful, while 61% of those aged 60+ were successfully able to give up.
• 48% of the pregnant women who set a quit date successfully quit (self-reported). Of 18,087 pregnant women who set a specific quit date, 8,678 were successful. Of pregnant women successfully quitting, 4% had their results confirmed by Carbon Monoxide.

The UK Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA) weren’t slow to happily welcome these statistics, pointing out that 59% of successful quitters is a significantly greater figure than the 49%-52% recorded in previous years.

The UKVIA’s director-general, John Dunne goes on to express his disappointment in the lack of recognition of vaping as a leading factor towards rising quit rates of smokers, stating that “It’s great to see the quit rates of smokers using the service going up but it’s a real shame that this data does not clearly recognise the contribution played by vaping where there is significant evidence which shows it is the best aid in supporting a successful quit.”

CAN VAPING RESTORE LUNG DEFENCE?

The lack of recognition in the NHS report from September of vaping’s contribution to the rising success rates of people successfully quitting smoking, or any praise, in general, comes as surprising, following another recent study which revealed that switching from smoking to vaping can restore the lungs’ primary defence against toxic substances.

The study was conducted in August by a team of researchers led by Professor Polosa of the University of Catania and observed the impact of switching to vaping on a bodily mechanism known as mucociliary clearance (MCC).

WHAT IS MUCOCILIARY CLEARANCE?

MCC is the process through which minuscule structures coating our lungs, referred to as cilia, work like an escalator using mucus to trap and remove undesirable substances from our bodies.

Tobacco smoke consists of chemicals that are harmful to cilia and increases mucus production. The damage to cilia means that smokers’ bodies have more difficulties cleansing themselves of these toxic substances.

While smoking leads to an excess of mucus building up in our bodies, Cilia - if working correctly - triggers a “functional” cough lasting for around two to three weeks until the body is cleansed of excess mucus.

Polosa’s study revealed that people who had switched to vaping or Heat Not Burn (HNB) showed MCC efficiency akin to that of someone who has never smoked, entirely restoring the body’s first line of defence against toxic chemicals.

This means that former smokers who have switched to vaping regain a crucial defence system against lung infections and inflammation. The restoration of MCC can also protect against the development of lung diseases and help to slow down the progression of existing lung diseases.

A FINAL WORD FROM US

We at Ecigwizard are absolutely ecstatic to learn about the rising success rates of smokers finally mustering up the courage and taking the first step towards a healthier lifestyle.
And while we can’t praise the NHS stop smoking services enough, we also share the UKVIA’s sentiments of disappointment at the lack of recognition of vaping’s contributions to these rising quit rates.

Furthermore, vaping’s potential role in restoring our lung’s defences is fascinating and we are as excited as you hopefully are to hear further developments.

Whether you’re a smoker looking towards making that first step towards a smoke-free future, new to vaping or a seasoned vaper, we suggest browsing our online store to buy e-liquid, vape starter kits and much more. For those who have just quit smoking, we recommend trying out a tobacco e-liquid with an e-cigarette starter kit to begin with.

Remember, we are currently offering Stoptober deals online such as 3 e-liquids for free with the purchase of any vape kit, and the chance to win a Golden Ticket worth £100 credit with any purchase! We wouldn’t want you to miss out.

And don’t worry, we didn’t forget about in-store customers. Scan your Vape Rewards card in-store to be in with the chance of winning free e-liquid or even money off your next shop.