Millions of Smokers Quit Smoking During COVID 19

A recent survey conducted by Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) and University College London (UCL) has found that more than one million smokers have successfully quit smoking since the coronavirus pandemic began.

If you think that number sounds like a lot, then you’d be right. Conducted over four months, the number of smokers quitting in such a short period is the highest since the survey began back in 2007. Let’s look at why such a massive amount of people are quitting cigarettes and how vaping can help you quit smoking, stay safe, and stay smoke-free.

Why Have So Many People Quit Smoking?
If you’re wondering why so many smokers have quit smoking the recent study by ASH and UCL presented findings that may or may not come as much of a surprise. A YouGov online pollster on behalf of ASH asked over 10,000 participants a range of questions about their smoking habits, with 41% of respondents revealing that this year’s coronavirus pandemic had in some way influenced their decision to quit smoking. With a variety of factors responsible for their eventual choice, smokers cited reasons such as health concerns as the primary cause for quitting.

In addition to the multitude of diseases synonymous with smoking data from the Zoe COVID, Symptom Tracker found that smokers were 14% more likely to develop the symptoms predominantly associated with Covid-19 persistent cough, shortness of breath and fever. The same analysis found that smokers who contracted Covid-19 were twice as likely to be admitted to hospital compared to non-smokers.

How Does Smoking Harm My Health?
It’s no secret that smoking tobacco is an extremely harmful habit that continues to keep an estimated 7 million smokers hooked here in the UK. Responsible for nearly 80,000 of all deaths in the UK every year, evidence shows that one in two smokers will die from a smoking-related disease if they continue to smoke. The single biggest cause of preventable death, the impact that smoking has on the body, as well as the harm caused by second-hand smoke are far-ranging.
For instance, every time you smoke poisonous tar entering the bloodstream, making your blood thicker. Increasing both blood pressure and heart rate, the narrowing of your arteries mean that smokers are up to twice as likely to suffer from heart disease resulting in a potential heart attack or stroke.

In the case of COVID- 19, the effect smoking has on your lungs, and the respiratory system poses some serious cause for concern. Narrowing the airways and subjecting the lungs to hot smoke containing thousands of carcinogenic materials, tar and carbon monoxide, smokers are more susceptible to coughs, colds, asthma. Particularly harmful to your respiratory system is the risk of getting chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; a group of progressive conditions that include emphysema and chronic bronchitis.

Due to the impact that COVID- 19 has on the body's respiratory system, government advice for smokers is to quit smoking to prevent the risk of infection. So far, the numbers who have managed to stop are undoubtedly impressive.

What happens if you suddenly stop smoking?
If you are serious about quitting smoking, the key to success is how you go about it. Depending on how much you smoke and how severe your addiction is, if you decide to go ‘cold turkey’ and quit nicotine altogether, you may be in for a rocky ride. Nicotine withdrawal has the potential to be a pretty stressful ordeal that will put your body and mind through its paces. If you opt to go for this route, you can expect headaches, temperature, cold sweats, irritability and the odd sleepless night. If COVID- 19 is affecting you in any way, the added shock your body faces when you suddenly stop smoking will undoubtedly end up having a detrimental effect on your wellbeing.

The good news is that there are some tremendous pain-free options that will provide you with the nicotine you need to curb your cravings, with a fraction of the harm that smoking cigarettes causes.

What is the most effective way to stop smoking?
E-cigarette starter kits make the ideal smokers-quit-kit and are fast becoming the go-to tool for those looking for an effective way to finally be free of tobacco cigarettes. If you’re looking for an effective way to quit smoking, then nicotine e-liquid used together with an electronic cigarette, vape pen, vape pod or vape mod can be up to 95% less harmful than smoking traditional cigarettes according to scientific evidence published by Public Health England (PHE). Simulating the experience of smoking, further research also tells us that vaping can be up to twice as effective as traditional nicotine replacement therapies such as patches, gums and sprays.

While a lack of evidence and the long term impact vaping has on the body is yet to be determined, the immediate scientific evidence tells us that the heating and not burning e-liquid plays a crucial role in minimising the potential harm posed to your health every time you light up a cigarette.

If you’re thinking about quitting smoking either as a way to protect yourself from the dangers of coronavirus or as a lifestyle choice that is well overdue, choosing vaping to stay smoke-free can provide one of the most effective ways to go about it.