Thousands in Dorset go smoke-free with Swap to Stop scheme

Dorset’s ‘Swap to Stop’ programme, launched by Public Health Dorset last year, is proving a resounding success, with thousands of smokers making the switch to vaping and kicking the habit for good.

The government-funded initiative, designed to drive down smoking rates, has seen remarkable uptake. A key finding highlighted by Public Health Dorset is that a staggering one in four smokers have never tried vaping, despite overwhelming evidence indicating it’s 95 per cent less harmful than traditional cigarettes.

To bridge this knowledge gap and facilitate the switch, the program has distributed 14,801 free, regulated vape starter kits to eligible, ID-verified adults over 18.

The positive feedback from participants underscores the programme’s effectiveness.

“I made the swap from smoking to vaping as inhaling no tar was my aim, and first step. I smoked 20 plus a day for over 30 years. Since swapping to vaping, I have gone from wheezing almost constantly to significantly less, without craving a cigarette,” shared one participant.

Another added: “I used swap to stop in February this year and have not smoked a cigarette since. It takes a little getting used to but does work 100 per cent. I would not have given up without the vape.”

Crucially, Public Health Dorset data reveals that 3,562 individuals who transitioned to vaping through the scheme remained smoke-free at the four-week mark. This statistic reinforces the established principle that staying smoke-free for 28 days significantly increases the likelihood of long-term cessation.

“We’re pleased our Swap 2 Stop offer has been able to help thousands of people to quit to improve their health and wellbeing throughout Dorset, Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole. It’s provided the chance to swap to nicotine vaping which is one of the most effective tools for quitting smoking,” Rachel Partridge, acting director of Public Health Dorset for Dorset Council and BCP Council, said.

“We know how challenging it can be to break the addiction to smoking tobacco. Offering various smoking cessation options is key to giving people a greater chance of becoming smoke-free using a method that works for them.”

Public Health Dorset’s statement on vaping is: If you smoke, vaping is much safer, but it isn’t entirely risk-free, so if you don’t smoke, don’t vape.