Health experts in Dorset encouraging people to switch from smoking cigarettes to using vapes. 

Public Health Dorset is trying to get people to swap smoking tobacco products and start using vapes in order to help protect people from the harm caused by cigarette smoke.

It is also reminding people that there is 'no risk' to people standing close to someone who vapes as second hand vape is 'not harmful'.

Heidi Croucher, Dorset's treating tobacco dependency programme manager said: "What we know from evidence is there is no risk associated with second hand vape.

"So if you're standing next to somebody who vapes it is not harmful to you."

The message comes after Dorset Council introduced its Swap 2 Smoke scheme to wean people off smoking by  offering free starter vape kits.

Its aim is to make the county smokefree by 2030.

A spokesperson for Public Health Dorset added: "If you smoke cigarettes, it's not only harmful to your health but harmful to those around you.

"Our new Swap 2 Stop scheme offers adults over the age of 18 who smoke and live in Dorset, a free vape kit and behavioural support to help boost their chances of quitting for good."