Pregnant women will be handed free vapes by a south London council to stop them spending money on cigarettes.
Lambeth Council hopes its ‘stop smoking’ service will save parents around £2,000 a year.
A council spokesperson told the BBC: ‘Smoking during pregnancy is the leading risk factor for poor birth outcomes, including stillbirth, miscarriage and pre-term birth
‘Data shows that women from low income households are much more likely to smoke in pregnancy.
‘We are now planning to support the use of e-cigarettes for women who choose that route as their preferred aid for quitting tobacco, since this is less harmful compared to smoking.’
They added that they acknowledge it is best pregnant smokers completely stop using nicotine. But that e-cigarettes are there to help them become smoke-free if this is difficult.
According to the NHS website, little research has been carried out into the safety of e-cigarettes during pregnancy.
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Vape ban
China has announced it is banning the sale of fruit-flavoured vapes in a bid to clampdown on the e-cigarette industry.
The new rules means that e-cigarettes that have flavourings (other than tobacco) cannot be sold.
However, the new restrictions do not stop the manufacturing and export of vapes to other countries, including the UK. This includes Chinese-made brands such as Elfbar.
According to The Guardian, exports from China soared in recent years. In 2021, they reached the value of 138.3 billion yuan – up 180% year-on-year.
The number of UK children aged 11 to 17 who vape had risen from 4% in 2020 to 7% in 2022, according to a survey conducted by YouGov and charity Action on Smoking and Health.
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