More people are quitting smoking in Sheffield than in any other major city, according to NHS records.
Out of every 100,000 smokers, 1,380 have successfully quit.
This data is from the NHS’ Statistics on Local Stop Smoking Services.
Sheffield trumps all other major cities, including Manchester and York, whose numbers stand at 263 and 483 respectively.
In parliament, MPs are showing support for plans to crack down on the smoking and vaping industry, with a new bill seeking to make it illegal for anyone who is currently aged fifteen or younger to ever purchase cigarettes in the UK.
There will also be actions aimed specifically at tackling youth vaping.
The vaping industry has been under scrutiny for some time, particularly concerning the sale of products to minors.
Rob, store runner at MyCigara Vape Shop, says that an outright ban is not the solution. Instead, he believes that licenses should come into play.
He said: “The biggest problem that the vaping industry has at the moment is it’s unlicensed. Any shop can go to a wholesaler, buy vapes, and sell them. When you’ve got a market of independent traders who are just after that extra bit of revenue, they’re majoratively the ones selling to underaged kids. “
Rob is an active vaper and believes that vaping is a safer alternative to cigarettes.
He says that he’s followed the WHO concerning the topic and recalls a report that vaping is up to 80% safer than cigarettes. According to Rob, vaping serves as the lesser of two evils for anyone who has trouble quitting cold turkey.
Regarding the developing bill, Health Secretary Wes Streeting has said that the bill will be “coming down on the vaping industry like a ton of bricks”.
When asked about a response to Mr Streeting’s comments, Rob said: “Pull your pants up and do it properly! They’re targeting the vape industry in an aggressive way, but not actually dealing with the problems. They’re not going to ban the import of [the vapes]. If you are going to ban the sale of them, don’t make it easy for the black market to get a hold of them.”
In light of the NHS data, any restrictions on the sale of vapes are likely to put immense pressure on Sheffield’s small businesses within the industry.
When asked about a future where such a bill is passed, Rob was of a somewhat pessimistic view. He said: “It’s gonna be tough. The bigger companies are gonna be the ones that are going to be able to weather out that stormy period. But yeah, it’s gonna be rough.”
