Provision of Swap to Stop Vapes

Overview

The purpose of this specification is to commission the provision of vapes and associated products to help people in Sheffield to quit smoking as part of the city’s tobacco dependency treatment services. This is in replacement of the national swap to stop programme which ended in April 2026. Nicotine vapes are recommended as a first choice stop smoking aid as there is strong evidence that they work, doubling the chances of a successful quit attempt. While vaping is not risk-free, the latest review of evidence concludes that vaping, in the short and medium term, is significantly less harmful than smoking cigarettes and poses a small fraction of the risks of smoking. E-cigarettes are not recommended for non-smokers and should certainly not be used and cannot legally be sold to people who are younger than 18 years old. The successful provider will provide access to vape starter kits (e-cigarettes and associated products) via a voucher scheme to individuals who choose to adopt this method of quitting. This will be implemented through key NHS and community partners including but not limited to Sheffield Teaching Hospitals, Sheffield Health Partnership University, Sheffield Children's Hospital and Sheffield Maternity Services. It is expected the number of users of the scheme will be between four and six organisations. However, this is subject to change. Based on current usage, it is estimated that the provider will be asked to supply approximately 700 4-week and 1,300 12-week vape starter kits per year. Please note that there is no guarantee associated with the number of kits ordered and the price quoted should not be dependent on a minimum order size. It is estimated that approximately 50% of the vape kits will require bulk delivery to one of our partner’s sites in Sheffield, with the remaining 50% delivered directly to individual patient’s homes.