Recently, the British government announced funding of £3 million to set up an "illegal e-cigarette Enforcement Team" to enforce e-cigarette regulations to crack down on illegal e-cigarettes and tackle the problem of illegal sales of e-cigarettes to children under 18.

While cracking down on illegal e-cigarettes and the use of e-cigarettes by children, the British government has also encouraged 1 million old smokers to switch from cigarettes to e-cigarettes.

In a world first, the British government said on Tuesday it would encourage up to 1 million smokers to switch from cigarettes to e-cigarettes and offer financial incentives to pregnant women.

The Department of Health said almost a fifth of regular smokers in the UK would be offered e-cigarette starter kits as well as help to quit under the scheme. Pregnant women will also be offered e-cigarette vouchers to help them quit, as the government seeks to reduce the number of smokers from the current 13 per cent to 5 per cent or less.

Health Minister Neil O'Brien said: "Up to two thirds of lifetime smokers die from cigarettes and they are the only commodity that can kill if not used properly. We will provide new help to one million smokers to quit and we will fund a new national 'Quit' programme - the first of its kind in the world."

The Department of Health said that while average smoking rates in the UK are lower than global levels, cigarette smoking is still the biggest preventable cause of death and illness in the UK.