Public Health England (PHE) has released a new film showing the devastating harms from smoking and how these can be avoided by switching to an e-cigarette or using another type of quit aid. The film has been released as part of PHE’s Health Harms campaign, which is encouraging smokers in Dorset and elsewhere in the South West to make a quit attempt this January.

The film features smoking expert Dr Lion Shahab and Dr Rosemary Leonard carrying out an experiment to visually demonstrate the high levels of cancer-causing chemicals and tar inhaled by an average smoker over a month, compared to not smoking or using an e-cigarette. The results of the experiment visually illustrate the stark contrast  between the impacts of smoking and vaping. Research estimates that while not risk-free, vaping is at least 95% less harmful than smoking.

Around 2.5 million adults are using e-cigarettes in England and they have helped thousands of people successfully quit– but many smokers (44%) still either wrongly believe that vaping is as harmful as smoking or don’t know that vaping poses much lower risks to health (22% respectively).

Russ Moody, of PHE South West, said:

“While vaping is not risk-free it is at least 95 per cent less harmful than smoking and can provide a useful aid for those who are trying to quit smoking.

“It’s important for smokers to understand this because tobacco continues to be one of the biggest causes of preventable deaths, increasing the risk of developing more than 50 serious health-conditions, including cancer, and heart disease – and doubles the risk of dying from a stroke.”

Our in-house lifestyle service LiveWell Dorset can offer help, support and guidance to anyone over the age of 18 and living in Dorset to quit the habit.