A new analysis shows that more than 1 million people in the UK are estimated to have quit smoking over the past four months during the coronavirus pandemic.
According to the analysis by the organization Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) and University College London (UCL), the people in the country have used the pandemic and lockdown as an opportunity to quit smoking.
The analysis also proved that young people have adopted this habit more than older smokers. People in the 16-29 age group have quit smoking at more than twice the rate of smokers over the age of 50.
Smoking is the leading cause of cancer, heart, and lung disease.
The UK government also has advised that smokers could be at higher risk of suffering severe symptoms associated with Covid-19.
“My message to smokers today is, please, do not wait. Whether you are healthy now or already unwell because of smoking, today is the day to stop. It can transform your life,” Dr. Ruth Sharrock, an expert in respiratory medicine, was quoted as saying in ASH’s statement.
While health concerns were definitely the topmost reasons, some others were forced to quit because of difficulty in getting tobacco while being in lockdown.
The UK has been hard hit by the coronavirus pandemic, with more than 290,000 confirmed cases and more than 45,000 deaths, according to figures from Johns Hopkins University.
