72% OF NON-SMOKER BRITS OPPOSE GOVERNMENT POLICY ON PLANS TO OFFER FREE E-CIGS ON OVERSTRETCHED NHS

"No" to free e-cigarettes on the NHS and "No" to e-cigarette use in restaurants, pubs and bars

With 2016 on the horizon, a third of the UK population are expected to make a New Year’s Resolution, many of whom will attempt to quit smoking.  This year, the government is set to offer e-cigarettes on the NHS for the first time, a move welcomed by the tobacco and pharmaceutical industries, who are battling each other for a share of the e-cigarette market. 

Allen Carr’s Easyway, the world-leading smoking-cessation method for the past 30 years, has polled 1,000 non-smokers throughout the UK, to gauge their opinions on the new policy.

Of the 1,000 non-smokers polled throughout the UK:

• A whopping 72% of respondents think the NHS should not spend money on free e-cigarettes for smokers

• In fact, 78% of respondents want e-cigs to remain banned from cinemas, restaurants or/and bars

• More than half, 54%, strongly felt the Tobacco Industry had a vested interest in encouraging widespread use of e-cigarettes, whilst more than 40% felt that the Pharma Industry and the Government has a similar vested interest, for reasons such as tax revenue     

• 40% of those surveyed believed e-cigarettes normalise smoker-like behaviour and encourage children or youngsters to smoke or ‘vape’.   

John Dicey, Worldwide Managing Director & CEO of Allen Carr’s Easyway comments:

“Allen Carr’s Easyway welcomes any method that helps smokers quit or minimises the harm that smoking causes, but we’re extremely concerned by the way e-cigarettes are marketed and are being pushed as safe/appropriate for use in public places and are now set to be made available on the NHS. Aside from those issues it will be years before the long term negative health effects relating to e-cigarettes are known. Our survey earlier this year indicated that a vast majority of people who use e-cigarettes continue to smoke - in which case any health benefit is lost. These latest research findings confirm that the general public share our concern that e-cigarettes and e-cig marketing act as a gateway to smoking for youngsters and that there is very little support for e-cigarettes to be made available on the already over-stretched NHS."

ENDS

For further information please contact Claire Doherty on 07932 651 837 or Claire@thisisgrapevine.com

Notes to Editors:

1,000 people polled in the UK by Atomik Research in December 2015

Case studies available on request

Allen Carr’s Easyway has clinics in 50+ countries across the globe and the method is endorsed by a wide variety of celebrities and opinion formers.  Fashion designer Roland Mouret quit his 20-a-day habit by using the method.  Other recent fans include Chrissie Hynde, Michael McIntyre, Craig Revel Horwood, Michael Ball, Jason Mraz and David Blaine.  Richard Branson, Sir Anthony Hopkins, Ellen DeGeneres, Lou Reed and Angelica Huston are long-term supporters of Allen Carr’s Easyway.  Following on from its phenomenal success in helping smokers, the Allen Carr’s Easyway approach has also successfully been applied to tackle other problems including e-cigarettes, alcohol, weight, drugs, anxiety, debt, gambling and fear of flying.  

For further information visit www.allencarr.com or call 0800 389 2115.