Part of 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 1:30 pm on 4 October 2022.
Thank you, First Minister. In my region of south-east Wales, the highest smoking rate is actually in Merthyr Tydfil, where 23 per cent of adults are smokers. This is higher than both the Welsh and UK averages. If Wales is to achieve its smoke-free target by 2030, then the rate of quitting will need to increase by 40 per cent. A recent study by Queen Mary University, supported by Cancer Research UK, found that vaping could be twice as effective as traditional nicotine replacement treatments in helping smokers quit. Several reviews, including those from Public Health England and the UK Royal College of Physicians, have found there are no identified health risks of passive vaping by bystanders. The current evidence therefore does not justify bans in public places of tobacco-free vaping. First Minister, do you agree it is critical that smokers understand that switching to vape products is likely to significantly reduce their risk of harm compared to smoking conventional cigarettes, and what is your Government doing to encourage the NHS in Wales to work with vaping companies to supply their products to those who wish to quit smoking to help you meet your target of a smoke-free Wales by 2030?