E-cigarettes may be prescribed on the NHS to help smokers quit
Whilst e-cigarettes are not risk free, they are believed to be less harmful that smoking tobacco - so ministers are considering making them available on the health service.
Doctors may soon be able to prescribe e-cigarettes on the NHS in a bid to help smokers give up tobacco for good.
Smokers trying to kick the habit may soon find that their GP can make an e-cigarette available to them on prescription, after the government has said it is considering making vapes available on the health service.
Guidance from the medicines regulator is due to be updated in England, and the addition of e-cigarettes is on the governments’ agenda.
If e-cigarettes were to be made available, it would be a world-first – with England becoming the first country to offer licensed vapes to patients via its health service.
Pointing to statistics that say 64,000 people died from smoking-related causes in 2019, Health Secretary Sajid Javid says the government wants to help people kick the habit – and think this is the way forward.
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Whilst vaping products are not risk-free themselves and contain nicotine, just like cigarettes, some experts do believe they are less harmful than smoking tobacco.
According to Ash.org, there are around 6.9 million adult smokers in the UK. The organisation also notes that since the 70s the proportion of people who have never smoked has increased massively – from 37.4% in 1974 to 60.4% in 2019.
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Meanwhile here ere in Manchester, it’s estimated by Manchester.gov that there are around 91,500 smokers aged 18 and over – equivalent to 21.7%.
Speaking on the plans to introduce e-cigarettes to the NHS, Mr Javid told The Mirror: “This country continues to be a global leader on healthcare, whether it’s our Covid-19 vaccine rollout saving lives or our innovative public health measures reducing people’s risk of serious illness.
“Opening the door to a licensed e-cigarette prescribed on the NHS has the potential to tackle the stark disparities in smoking rates across the country, helping people stop smoking wherever they live and whatever their background.”
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The government has also said that e-cigarettes are “highly effective” in helping people quit, pointing to research that shows more smokers choose vapes (27.2%) than patches and gum (18.2%).
New rules from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency would mean in order for vapes to be approved for use on the NHS, firms would have to ask the watchdog – just as drugs and vaccine producers do.
Once an e-cigarette is granted MHRA approval, it would then be up to doctors to decide on an individual case basis whether a prescription would be suitable for a patient.
Deborah Arnott, of the campaign group Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), said: “Just as the MHRA led the world in licensing vaccines for COVID-19, today it is leading the world by backing medicinal licensing of e-cigarettes.
“This is entirely justified, as the Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty has pointed out, smoking is likely to have caused more premature deaths in the UK last year than the Covid pandemic.
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“Thanks to vaccines, Covid-19 is being brought under control, but smoking will kill as many people this year as last.
“With nearly 7 million smokers in the UK, smoking will continue to kill people for many years to come until we make smoking obsolete.
“Smokers find it hard to quit, taking on average 30 attempts to succeed, which is why we need new tools in the toolbox, such as medicinally licensed e-cigarettes.”
“Thanks to vaccines, Covid-19 is being brought under control, but smoking will kill as many people this year as last.
Manchester United youngster Jack Fletcher apologises after red card for offensive language
Danny Jones
Manchester United academy player Jack Fletcher has issued an apology following his red card last autumn, having been sent off for using offensive language.
Jack – one of the two Fletcher twins and son of former Man United player and current coach, Darren – has been slapped with a six-match ban for a homophobic insult uttered on the pitch back in October.
The youngster and England youth player, who made his senior debut this past December, has also been fined £1,500 for calling another player “gay boy” in the under-21s side’s 5-2 defeat to Barnsley FC in the EFL Trophy.
Fletcher, 18, must now attend a mandatory face-to-face education as well. Following confirmation of the reasoning behind the dismissal, which was initially unclear, he has also shared an official statement apologising for his behaviour.
🚨 Jack Fletcher banned for SIX games following his red card at Barnsley in the EFL Trophy earlier this season.
He admitted to a charge that he acted in an improper manner/and or used abusive/and or insulting words to the match official.#MUFC
As shared via the Football Association (FA) and Man United, Fletcher said: “I am truly sorry for the offensive word I used in the heat of the moment. “I completely understand [that] such language is unacceptable and immediately apologised after the game.”
He also went on to say that “a momentary lapse of character absolutely does not reflect my beliefs or values”, insisting that he meant no offence to the queer community in the moment.
Fletcher told the FA that he’d been thrown to the floor in the fixture and that his Achilles had been ‘stamped on’ by the same opponent earlier in the knockout clash.
The disciplinary commission accepted his response, but still believed the six-match ban was required as sufficient punishment, which will be served in the youth ranks.
Should he ‘reoffend’ or fail to complete the compulsory training issued by the FA, he will face further suspension and more serious penalties.
In the aftermath of his apology, United’s officially recognised LGBTQIA+ fan group have also shared a reply of their own, adding: “We hope Jack learns from this and grows as a person and a player,” it said. His immediate regret and guilty plea suggest that he will.”
As for his employers, the club wrote online: “Manchester United has worked with Jack to strengthen his understanding of discriminatory language and why it is harmful.
“In addition to his ongoing participation in regular Academy programmes on diversity and inclusion, Jack will also take part in educational training through the FA.”
With Jack’s brother, Tyler, also having featured in the matchday squad for the men’s first team, and his dad, Darren, still currently coaching the U18s team, you can most likely still expect all the Fletcher boys to remain in United’s future plans.
Manchester reveals FREE programme of events to mark International Women’s Day 2026
Emily Sergeant
Manchester is set to mark International Women’s Day this weekend with a packed programme of free events.
In case you didn’t know, this Sunday (8 March) is International Women’s Day, with cities worldwide will be marking the important day in a series of different ways – and Manchester is no different.
Just as it chose to last year, the city has once again decided not to host its popular and once-annual ‘Walk For Women’ event, that used to see hundreds parade through the city centre in the name of equality, and instead organise a programme of events that both honour the importance of the event globally and this year’s theme.
Each year, International Women’s Day celebrates the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women, whilst also marking a call-to-action for accelerating gender equality.
Join us on Saturday 7 March at Central Library to celebrate International Women’s Day. 💜
Expect storytelling, performances, creative workshops, women’s history exhibitions, a keynote speech and more.
This year in Manchester, Manchester City Council is encouraging everyone to join for a community celebration co‑designed by local women, offering a space to appreciate women’s contributions, meet new people committed to lifting each other up, learn something new, get creative, and ultimately, find inspiration for the future.
Some of the events organised throughout the day – which will all take place at Manchester Central Library the day before IWD 2026 on Saturday 7 March – include a storytelling activity for women to share their personal stories, a special spoken word piece performed by a member of the IWD Co-design group, choirs and poetry performances, and even fireside ‘chats’ among other things.
There’ll also be a range of different events designed especially for mums and children, like the ‘Mums Matter’ wellbeing workshops, offering time to focus on your emotional wellbeing and mental health, and children’s drop-in sessions.
Manchester Central Library is hosting a wide range of IWD 2026 events this weekend / Credit: The Manc Group
You can also expect a selection of stalls by commissioned services and partner organisations promoting different services, and a period product donation point to tackle period poverty across Greater Manchester.
Everybody is invited to celebrate International Women’s Day in Manchester, not just women, and even children are able to attend some of the events too, as people of all ages are welcome.
Manchester’s International Women’s Day 2026 celebrations are taking place throughout the day on Saturday 7 March, and you can find out more and book here.
Georgina Pellant -
29th October 2021 
