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| Pregnant women to be handed free vapes by London council | Pregnant women to be handed free vapes by London council |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| More than 3,000 Lambeth families - many with kids - fall into poverty each year due to their smoking habits, according to council estimates | More than 3,000 Lambeth families - many with kids - fall into poverty each year due to their smoking habits, according to council estimates |
| Pregnant women will be handed free vapes by a south London council to stop them spending money on cigarettes. | Pregnant women will be handed free vapes by a south London council to stop them spending money on cigarettes. |
| Lambeth Council estimates its "stop smoking" service will save parents £2,000 a year - money it says would otherwise be spent on tobacco. | Lambeth Council estimates its "stop smoking" service will save parents £2,000 a year - money it says would otherwise be spent on tobacco. |
| NHS said little research has been conducted into the safety of e-cigarettes in pregnancy and patches and gum are preferred. | NHS said little research has been conducted into the safety of e-cigarettes in pregnancy and patches and gum are preferred. |
| The council said using e-cigarettes can help women become smoke-free. | |
| "Smoking during pregnancy is the leading risk factor for poor birth outcomes, including stillbirth, miscarriage and pre-term birth," a council spokesman said. | |
| "Data shows that women from low income households are much more likely to smoke in pregnancy. | |
| "We are now planning to support the use of e-cigarettes for women who choose that route as their preferred aid for quitting tobacco, since this is less harmful compared to smoking. | |
| "We recognise that while it is best for pregnant smokers to stop smoking without continuing to use nicotine, if this is difficult, and if they choose to use e-cigarettes it can help them become smoke-free." | |
| E-cigarettes are not completely risk-free but carry a fraction of the risk of cigarettes | |
| Thousands fall into poverty due to their smoking habits, the council added. | |
| Lambeth councillor Ben Kind revealed details of the scheme in a written response to a question from fellow councillor Issa Issa about what the authority was doing to tackle child and family poverty in the borough. | Lambeth councillor Ben Kind revealed details of the scheme in a written response to a question from fellow councillor Issa Issa about what the authority was doing to tackle child and family poverty in the borough. |
| Mr Kind, cabinet member for children and young people, wrote: "The council is soon to start providing free vape products, as part of the stop smoking service, to smokers who are pregnant and/or are carers of young children. | Mr Kind, cabinet member for children and young people, wrote: "The council is soon to start providing free vape products, as part of the stop smoking service, to smokers who are pregnant and/or are carers of young children. |
| "This is aimed at improving the health of the family and saving money in the process of approximately £2,000 per year per family. It is estimated that over 3,000 households in Lambeth fall under the poverty line due to smoking and many of these households include children." | "This is aimed at improving the health of the family and saving money in the process of approximately £2,000 per year per family. It is estimated that over 3,000 households in Lambeth fall under the poverty line due to smoking and many of these households include children." |
| Electronic cigarettes work by heating up a liquid containing tobacco in order to create a vapour which the user inhales. | Electronic cigarettes work by heating up a liquid containing tobacco in order to create a vapour which the user inhales. |
| How safe are e-cigarettes? | How safe are e-cigarettes? |
| How many people vape? | How many people vape? |
| A King's College study published in September found that "vaping is substantially less harmful than smoking", the Local Democracy Reporting Service reports. | A King's College study published in September found that "vaping is substantially less harmful than smoking", the Local Democracy Reporting Service reports. |
| According to the NHS website, little research has been conducted into the safety of e-cigarettes and e-liquids in pregnancy. | According to the NHS website, little research has been conducted into the safety of e-cigarettes and e-liquids in pregnancy. |
| "It is not known whether the vapour is harmful to a baby in pregnancy," it states. | "It is not known whether the vapour is harmful to a baby in pregnancy," it states. |
| "If you're pregnant, licensed NRT products such as patches and gum are the recommended option to help you stop smoking," the NHS adds. | "If you're pregnant, licensed NRT products such as patches and gum are the recommended option to help you stop smoking," the NHS adds. |
| Mr Kind also revealed the council would continue to hand out £20 vouchers to families of children on free school meals during school holidays, until the end of the February 2023 half-term. | Mr Kind also revealed the council would continue to hand out £20 vouchers to families of children on free school meals during school holidays, until the end of the February 2023 half-term. |
| He added the council had spent nearly £200,000 on the refurbishment of a disused kitchen on Brixton Road. Community groups will prepare meals at the kitchen for residents struggling to pay for food. | He added the council had spent nearly £200,000 on the refurbishment of a disused kitchen on Brixton Road. Community groups will prepare meals at the kitchen for residents struggling to pay for food. |