Latest Vaping News – Hospital to Introduce Vape Zones

Some NHS hospitals are considering the inclusion of vaping zones in hopes of incentivising smokers to switch.

22 November 2021 | Hannah Rubery

NHS hospitals have been desperately trying to help curb the nation’s smoking habit and even with the rise of no-smoking zones, it seems to have done little to deter people from smoking. The hopes were that by offering fewer places for people to smoke, that it would nudge them towards looking for alternatives or quitting. Unfortunately, the resilience of smokers meant that they were either moving elsewhere or stealing away in corners for a quick cigarette.

Southmead Hospital in north Bristol is but one of the sites that designated itself as a ‘smoke-free’ site in line with NHS guidelines, but many people ignored the ban. After a survey of 500 staff, visitors and patients, they found that 70% of them had seen someone still smoking on the premises despite the ban. They’ve since admitted that the policy is not working and are hoping with the possible introduction of designated vape zones, that it may be the first nudge for smokers to make the change.

This came shortly before rumours arrived that the NHS possibly could prescribe E-Cigarettes on the NHS, as a way to help increase smoking cessation with the public.

Has this been tried before?

Already there have been moves to integrate E-Cigarettes and vaping into NHS hospitals, with a clinical trial that launched earlier this year, where starter vape kits would be given to smokers. The study is to run over 30 months across five hospitals in England and Scotland, to see whether they do help smokers quit.

Back in 2019, there was an introduction of vape shops in two NHS hospitals in the West Midlands in an effort to eradicate smoking on site. Authorities clamped down by giving £50 fines to anyone lighting up on the site, whilst providing vape zones and allowing vaping to occur anywhere outside, as long as it was away from doorways.

With more evidence that vaping helps with smoking cessation, evidence that keeps on growing, these signs of change are hopefully good indicators that here in the UK, we are still working towards getting the country smoke-free and remaining pro-vape.

Make the switch from smoking to vaping

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Do you think that hospitals should invest in vape zones? Do you think more places should ditch smoking areas in favour of vape zones? Let us know in the comments below.