It has recently come to the attention of those in Britain that users of electronic cigarettes have tripled in the last two years. The figures from the health charity Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) sparked attention from many, and certainly highlighted the significance and growth of e-cigs as a major brand. More specifically, the research found that users of electronic cigarettes rose from approximately 700,000 in 2012 to around 2.1 million in 2014. Considering the fact that we are not yet in the middle of this year, it becomes apparent that this figure could still rise greatly.
These new figures have sparked hope among many that the number of people smoking genuine cigarettes will decrease rapidly. The introduction of electronic cigarettes as an alternative to the real thing and other methods in the UK, such as the smoking ban in public places (England was the last country in Britain to participate, in 2007) and hiding cigarettes from clear view in supermarkets, definitely seem to be working. The figures of the recent survey show that two-thirds of electronic cigarette users are current smokers, and one-third are ex-smokers. The chief executive of ASH, Deborah Arnett, says, “The dramatic rise in use of electronic cigarettes over the past four years suggests that smokers are increasingly turning to these devices to help them cut down or quit smoking.”
It may go without saying, but the launch of electronic cigarettes may be one of the best ways yet to put a stop to people smoking traditional cigarettes. The list of differences between the two is endless – e-cigs are healthier (on an extremely large scale), cheaper, more socially acceptable, and do not have the distinctive odour of regular cigarettes. Not to mention that smoking electronic cigarettes over traditional ones greatly reduces the risk of heart problems, lung cancer, throat cancer, and a whole array of other dangerous diseases.
On the whole, the uplifting statistics collected from the survey shows that more and more people in Britain are turning to the healthier and safer alternative that is electronic cigarettes, and ditching the real thing for good. With a little bit of luck, the numbers might only keep on growing.
