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The UK is considering handing out one million free vapes to smokers in an attempt to promote quitting cigarettes.

The government is handing out the candy-flavoured vapes (or Airpops as we know them) as part of their ‘swap to stop’ campaign which hopes to get smokers to ditch the little cancer sticks that have become part of their lives.

Called a world first, one million smokers will each receive a vaping starter kit to help kick the habit, and pregnant women will be given a £400 incentive to help them stop – just in case the health of their unborn baby is not important enough.

Ladbible reports that this forms part of a broader initiative that aims to make the UK a smoke-free country by 2030. In addition to the freebies, smokers will also be encouraged to make use of behavioural support to follow a healthier lifestyle.

As part of the crackdown, a new ‘illicit vapes enforcement squad’ backed by £3 million of government funding will be brought in to enforce the rules on vaping, while also tackling illegal vapes and underage sales.

Vapes seem to be a lifeboat for many smokers and have been called ‘quit-aids’ in the battle between tobacco billionaires and those keen to not die from cancer.

Whether these vapes are safe is a murky issue as it is still a very new fad, but most producers of these childhood memory-tasting devices have noted that ‘despite all the speculation on various media, there is currently no solid evidence of disposable vapes being extra harmful to vapers or ex-smokers.’

Unlike cigarettes that contain carbon monoxide, tar, nicotine, and formaldehyde (the stuff they make fertilizer, paper, plywood and resin with), vaping is seen as a less damaging alternative as it contains only propylene glycol, a vegetable glycerine-based liquid with nicotine.

The vapes don’t contain tobacco though. Just some metals and ‘other chemicals’. Sounds very healthy. If you are interested in the science stuff behind these colourful little puff machines, check out the video below.

With all the positives being touted about using vapes, we have to wonder where all the lithium-ion batteries and plastic casings are going to end up if everyone switches to vapes.

They might be a little better, but isn’t this the same as using heroin to cure cocaine addiction in stupider times?

[source:ladbible]