Concerns raised over popularity of e-cigarettes as councillors approve ‘smoke-free Nottinghamshire’ plans

There is a new national push for people to give up smoking following the publication of a government-commissioned review which recommended a number of interventions to help England become smoke free by 2030.

One councillor told the latest Nottinghamshire Council health and wellbeing board meeting how his wife had died from lung cancer related to smoking, while some board members raised concerns promoting e-cigarettes, or vaping, could cause an ‘epidemic’ in the long term.

About 14 per cent of adults in Nottinghamshire smoke, above the England average of 13.9 per cent.

But the average varies widely across the county, rising to 19.8 per cent in Mansfield and 18.8 per cent in Ashfield, with the lowest rate of 5.9 per cent in Rushcliffe.

In Ashfield 17.1 per cent of pregnant women smoke, while in Mansfield, it is 19.2 per cent.

Smoking-related illnesses are estimated to kill 1,124 people in Nottinghamshire, while about 1,000 young people take up the habit in the county each year.

Coun Tim Wildgust, Newark & Sherwood Council member for Boughton, said: “Smoking is close to my heart. I lost my wife through smoking, she died a few years ago.

“Lung cancer is a complex illness. There isn’t really a cure and it’s traumatic to live through for both people.

Public Health England says e-cigarettes are at least 95 per cent safer than real cigarettes.

Coun Wildgust said: “Nicotine is addictive. One of my concerns with e-cigarettes is it is a nicotine substitute. It is potentially carcinogenic, but a lot lower than smoking cigarettes.

“My concerns long-term are trying to wean people off e-cigarettes, but my only hope is whatever we decide, that if one person doesn’t have to go through what I and my wife have gone through, it’s worth it.”

Dr Thilan Bartholemeuz, of NHS Nottinghamshire, said: “I think we need to be more proactive on this agenda, with access to vapes and e-cigarettes and it should not be seen as a safe substitute for smoking.”

Councillors approved the ‘vision’ to create a smoke-free generation for all communities in Nottinghamshire by 2040 and endorsed a statement on e-cigarettes which acknowledged they are less harmful than smoking, ‘but not without risks’.