Switching to vapes ‘could save NHS more than half a billion a year’, study says

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Such illnesses put significant burdens on the NHS, which we know is already under increasing pressure Professor Francesco Moscone The research team calculated total health expenditure by multiplying average ward costs per bed day for a specific disease by the mean length of stay in hospital for that disease. Professor Francesco Moscone, a business economics expert from Brunel University London, said: “Such illnesses put significant burdens on the NHS, which we know is already under increasing pressure.” He added that while the long-term impact of vapes are still unknown, previous research has shown they “result in a 90% reduction in the exposure to chemicals that are major contributors to health risks”. Deborah Arnott, chief executive of charity Action on Smoking and Health, said: “This study provides further evidence that by providing one million vapes to smokers to help them quit, the Government’s ‘swap to stop’ campaign would help reduce pressure on our overstretched NHS. “However, although smoking costs the NHS well over £2 billion a year, the biggest benefit to public finances from reductions in smoking won’t be to the NHS, but in reductions in spending on social security and social care due to smoking, which together amount to more than double the cost of smoking to the NHS.” A poll of 12,271 adults, carried out by YouGov for charity Action on Smoking and Health, found 43% of people think vaping is as dangerous or more dangerous than smoking cigarettes.