Should e-cigs be available on the NHS to help Wearsiders quit?

Electronic cigarettes are 95 percent less harmful than smoking traditional cigarettes and have the potential to help smokers quit smoking, according to a report published on Wednesday by Britain’s Department of Health.

“Local stop smoking services should look to support e-cigarette users in their journey to quitting completely”. The review could prove quite beneficial for the supporters of e-cigarette advocates, who already term it as a tool for adults to quit smoking. As per a recent study, it was shown that teenagers who tried e-cigarettes were more prone to take up smoking later in their lives in comparison t those who never tried the device.

Global Positioning System and stop smoking services are not able to prescribe or recommend e-cigarettes in the UK, because none of the products on the market are licensed for medicinal purposes.

The review was led by Professor Ann McNeill, of King’s College London, and Professor Peter Hajek, of Queen Mary University of London.

Parents may like to pay heed to the findings of the study and discourage their children from using e-cigarettes, regardless of much touted benefits of e-cigarettes.

PHE hopes its review will reduce the number of avoidable deaths, but despite growing evidence surrounding the safety of the e-devices, the report found that public distrust is increasing.

They said that some teens may be more likely to use e-cigarettes before turning to cigarettes, cigars or hookahs because they believe they are not harmful or addictive and because of marketing by the industry to young people.

The study also crucially points out that there is no evidence supporting the view that e-cigarettes are a “gateway” to smoking tobacco, for adults and minors. As a matter of fact, the study is so conclusive that some officials are even considering the recommendation of e-cigarettes to doctors as a means to help smokers quit smoking (with a less unsafe alternative). The nicotine in e-cigarettes is addictive just as in conventional tobacco products, however, without the chemicals and tars of burning tobacco. “Smokers need to know that vapor products are far less hazardous than smoking and effective for quitting”, said Gregory Conley, AVA president.