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Over 3,00,000 smokers in UK may have quit due to COVID-19 fears

WION Web Team
London, London, Great Britain (UK)Updated: May 04, 2020, 02:15 PM IST
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Photograph:(AFP)

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The survey of 1,004 people suggested 2% of smokers had quit because of concerns about coronavirus; 8% were trying to quit; 36% had cut down; and 27% were now more likely to quit.

Over 3,00,000 in the UK may have quit smoking during the coronavirus crisis owing to the belief, supported by growing evidence, that smoking is associated with worse outcomes in those admitted to hospital with Covid-19.

The survey of 1,004 people suggested 2% of smokers had quit because of concerns about coronavirus; 8% were trying to quit; 36% had cut down; and 27% were now more likely to quit.

This implies as many as 5,50,000 people have tried to quit, and 2.4 million have cut down on smoking. The figures were presented by according to the joint study by YouGov and the campaign group Action on Smoking and Health (Ash).

The results of the survey were welcomed by several health and anti-smoking organisations in a statement released by #QuitforCOVID Twitter campaign.

The founder of the #QuitforCOVID campaign urged more people to stop smoking during the pandemic and beyond.