Expert says clients hooked on vaping are 'even more addicted than smokers'

Anne Penman, a laser therapist, with her patient, Ryan, who she helped to give up vaping.

An expert who spent the last 30 years helping hundreds of thousands of people to stop smoking is now treating clients addicted to vaping.

Anne Penman used laser therapy to establish a hugely successful worldwide chain of clinics to help smokers kick the habit from as far afield as Beverly Hills to Bathgate.

But now she’s seeing huge numbers of vape addicts and she warns they are “even more addicted than smokers”.

Glasgow-based Penman uses lasers to stimulate acupuncture points on the body which mimic a natural response which sends a surge of feel-good endorphins.

The laser painlessly sends pulses to the acupuncture points on the face, ears and wrists which encourages a state of deep relaxation, reducing stress.

She said: “It’s been a tried-and-tested successful method we’ve used for decades now. Within two or three sessions, we get smokers off cigarettes for life.

“When vaping was suggested as a healthier alternative to smoking, I worried because there were no tight controls over how much nicotine or what kind of chemicals were being used.

“Vaping was initially marketed as a healthy choice, but in recent years we’ve seen more concern from respiratory specialists about the long-term effect on the lungs.

“Now I’m getting numerous calls from people desperate to stop vaping.

“It’s deeply concerning because these devices can deliver up to 3,000 puffs compared to a cigarette which contains only 10 puffs.

“The cost of cigarettes has also risen so high, that has been a factor for many people giving up and turning to vaping instead.”

The hand-to-mouth action of vaping mimics smoking and for many, it is just as addictive.

Penman said: “The people I’ve been treating say it’s difficult to give up.

“I compare it to a parent trying to wean a baby off a comforting dummy.

“It’s not at all easy.”

Disposable vapes are due to be banned by June 1 in a bid to reduce the number of 11 to 15-year-olds using them as well as reducing the amount of environmental harm.

As well as tales of users already hoarding supplies to keep themselves going, determined vapers will still be able to access refillables.

With the low cost of under £5, up to eight million disposables are being thrown away every single week across the UK, causing a major headache for local authorities attempting to keep towns and cities free from the litter they cause.

Lithium batteries found in vapes have been known to cause fires in waste facilities, and the plastics and chemicals from the units have been found leaching into soil, causing untold environmental damage.

A recent University College London study found that even when disposable vapes are withdrawn, most users are likely to continue with refillable units despite them being less convenient.

Penman said: “I’ve found the government stance rather questionable. They consider vaping a lesser evil than smoking, but they haven’t thought about what to do about the people who become addicted to vaping or what the long-term health implications are.

“I’d like to see the NHS investing in clinical studies conducted into the effectiveness of laser therapy as that most certainly doesn’t have side effects.

“We’ve been deploying it for over 30 years with great results. There’s no damage to the environment either.”

I was addicted. I couldn’t give up no matter how much I tried

When he served in the Royal Navy, Ryan McNair, 29, from Alexandria, West Dunbartonshire, became addicted to vaping.

He said: “Long months away on tour in the Middle East meant I was hitting the vape for hours at a time. Before I realised it, I was addicted and puffing much more than I ever would have done on cigarettes.

“Most of the guys on board were vaping. It was a bit of a comfort blanket to be honest, and we weren’t thinking about how much nicotine was in them or what chemicals we were inhaling.

“Once I left the Navy, I started up my fitness business Mission Upgrade, and I decided it was time to give up vaping. But I couldn’t do it on my own no matter how much I tried.

“A friend had tried hypnotism to give up, so I decided to do a bit of research and discovered Anne Penman Laser Therapy. I decided to give it a try. I had two sessions two years ago, and I’ve never picked up a vape since then. I haven’t even thought about it.

“I feel so much better knowing that I’m not putting all those chemicals into my body any longer.”