If you or someone you care about – live or work in the Sefton area and want to stop smoking, you can talk to us directly (or speak to your GP first if you prefer, they can refer you to us as well). We work locally with the NHS to provide all the advice, support and therapy you need to help you break the habit. Most people who use our service manage to give up within 12 weeks.
Like Tobacco the legal age to buy vapes is 18. Anyone under 18 is advised not to vape in any circumstances. Vaping is only recommended for adults as a way to quit smoking as it carries less harm in the short to medium term, the long term effects of vaping are still unknown.
Most vapes contain an e-liquid with Nicotine inside, even many labelled ‘Nicotine free’ have been found to contain it. Nicotine is a highly addictive stimulant drug, stimulants increase your heart rate and blood pressure, which means people often feel sick when they first use it. Nicotine doesn’t cause any diseases on it’s own and is quite safe for adults but it might impact brain development in young people and they’re more sensitive to it’s effects.
Vaping might make you feel mildly stimulated or relaxed. The most common side effects are; coughing, shortness of breath, headaches, dizziness, nausea, irritation to the eyes, mouth and throat.
Symptoms of Nicotine poisoning are usually quite mild including nausea and vomiting, headaches and stomach pains, but in more severe cases it can lead to convulsions, depressed breathing and death. Serious nicotine poisonings are rare but have increased, especially in young people with the availability of e-liquid.
Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) can be used to help people quit smoking or vaping, you may know NRT as products like sprays, patches, gum, inhalators or lozenges. They provide clean nicotine without the thousands of other chemicals in smoke or vape aerosols. Smokers are 2x more likely to quit with NRT and 4x more likely to quit with NRT and support off an advisor.
Vapes are are covered by regulations to protect users, including a maximum nicotine strength of 2%, maximum tank size of 2ml and bans on certain ingredients. But some disposable vapes on sale are illegal and don’t meet UK quality and safety regulations. Many have been tested and contain poisons like arsenic, lead and formaldehyde. Many millions of counterfeits are seized each year and some estimate that up to 60% of vapes for sale are illegal.
To register for our 12 week course or for more information:
Fill out the form online.
Telephone: 0300 100 1000
Freetext ‘ABLTEEN’ to 62277
