NEWS
1
Smokers who have tried other methods of quitting without success could be
encouraged to try e-cigarettes (EC) to stop smoking and stop smoking services
should support smokers using EC to quit by offering them behavioural support.
2
Encouraging smokers who cannot or do not want to stop smoking to switch to
EC could help reduce smoking related disease, death and health inequalities.
3
There is no evidence that EC are undermining the long-term decline in cigarette
smoking among adults and youth, and may in fact be contributing to it. Despite
some experimentation with EC among never smokers, EC are attracting very
few people who have never smoked into regular EC use.
4
Recent studies support the Cochrane Review findings that EC can help people
to quit smoking and reduce their cigarette consumption. There is also evidence
that EC can encourage quitting or cigarette consumption reduction even among
those not intending to quit or rejecting other support. More research is needed
in this area.
5
When used as intended, EC pose no risk of nicotine poisoning to users, but
e-liquids should be in ‘childproof’ packaging. The accuracy of nicotine content
labelling currently raises no major concerns.
6
There has been an overall shift towards the inaccurate perception of EC being
as harmful as cigarettes over the last year in contrast to the current expert
estimate that using EC is around 95% safer than smoking.
7
Whilst protecting non-smoking children and ensuring the products on the
market are as safe and effective as possible are clearly important goals,
new regulations currently planned should also maximise the public health
opportunities of EC.
20 WINTER EDITION VAPOUROUND MAGAZINE