The number of people smoking pipes, shishas and cigars in the UK has increased fivefold in a decade, which experts say could lead to an increase in smoking-related cancers such as oral and lung cancers.
There were approximately 772,800 non-cigarette tobacco users last year, compared with 151,200 in 2013, according to a study published in the journal Nicotine and Tobacco Research.
The figures are based on research by academics at University College London, who surveyed a representative sample of around 1,700 adults on their smoking habits each month between 2013 and 2023.
The largest increase in non-cigarette tobacco use was among young people, with 3% of 18-year-olds using these forms, compared with 1.1% of 65-year-olds, the study found. The study also found higher rates among men and current e-cigarette users.
In 2022-23, one in 10 smokers will use only non-cigarette tobacco, such as cigars and water pipes. Cigars, hookahs, cigarillos, and pipes are all non-cigarette forms of smoking that are more harmful than cigarettes.
According to the agency, someone who smokes hookah for 20 to 80 minutes inhales the same amount of smoke as someone who smokes more than 100 cigarettes. British Heart Foundation. The charity said smokeless shisha still produces dangerous toxins from the smoke.
Possible reasons for the sharp rise in smoking rates include perceptions that these forms of smoking may be less harmful than cigarettes, as well as economic reasons, the study said.
The study noted that the May 2020 ban on menthol cigarettes did not cover these forms of smoking. That could mean people who like the taste may turn to other products not included in the ban, such as shisha and cigars.
It is estimated that 54,300 cases of cancer in the UK each year are directly related to tobacco. Ministers are considering legislation that would mean anyone born on or after January 1, 2009, would not be able to legally buy cigarettes in England at any time in their life, as the smoking age would rise by one year each year.
Dr Ian Walker, executive director of policy at Cancer Research UK, said: “Tobacco kills one person every five minutes in the UK. Research like this shows that the smoking problem is not just about cigarettes – all tobacco products are harmful and can cause cancer , regardless of its form.
“That’s why it’s vital that the government’s selling age legislation applies to all tobacco products. If implemented, this policy will be an important step towards creating a smoke-free Britain, preventing future generations becoming addicted to tobacco.”
Dr Sarah Jackson, lead author of the paper from UCL’s Institute of Epidemiology and Health, said: “This 10-year study captures the changing trends in non-cigarette tobacco use and paints an exciting picture. A worrying picture. Although smoking rates have fallen, our data shows a sharp rise in the use of other smoking products, particularly among young people.
“It is vital that stop smoking services are adequately funded and delivered across the UK to provide the approximately 772,800 people who use non-cigarette tobacco products and the millions of smokers with the support they need to quit.”
Follow us on Google news ,Twitter , and Join Whatsapp Group of thelocalreport.in
