New guidance in anti-smoking fight
Smokers are encouraged to at least cut down on the habit if they are unable to stop completely in guidance which is a world-first issued by health professionals.
The landmark guidance to reduce tobacco-related harm for people struggling to kick the habit is the first to recommend that licensed nicotine-containing products can be used to help people cut down on the amount they smoke.
People targeted by the advice includes those who may not be able to give up in one go, those who want to stop smoking without giving up nicotine and those who might not be ready to stop but want to reduce the amount they smoke.
The guidance, issued by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice), recognises that although stopping completely is the best way to reduce harm, many people are unable to do so.
Professor Mike Kelly, director of the Nice centre for Public Health, opened a press briefing about the guidance with a Mark Twain quote: “Giving up smoking is the easiest thing in the world. I know because I’ve done it thousands of times.”
Prof Kelly said the guidance endorses cutting down on smoking with the help of licensed nicotine products such as patches and gum to help reduce the harm caused by tobacco. He pointed out that while nicotine is a “relatively harmless” substance, there is a lack of clarity over the safety of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) and what substance actually causes death.
“Put simply, people smoke for the nicotine but die because of the tar in tobacco. However, smoking tobacco is highly addictive, which is why people find it so difficult to stop smoking,” he said.
Professor Paul Aveyard, Nice guidance developer, GP and Professor of Behavioural Medicine at the University of Oxford, said the guidance gives him another option to present to patients – and highlighted the safety and usefulness of NRT.
He said when someone smokes cigarettes combined with NRT they are more likely to stop smoking. There is no evidence the combination of smoking and using NRT is harmful, he said.
“Advisors should reassure people that licensed nicotine-containing products are a safe and effective way of reducing the harm from cigarettes, and that NRT products have been shown in trials to be safe for at least five years’ use,” he said, adding: “Experts believe that lifetime use of these products will be considerably less harmful than smoking.”
Professor John Britton, chair of the Royal College of Physicians’ tobacco advisory group, said the new guidance is welcomed and echoed Prof Kelly in his differentiation of clean nicotine and cigarette smoke.
“Smokers smoke for nicotine, and since tobacco smoke is by far the most harmful available source of nicotine, switching to alternatives as a short or long-term substitute is the obvious healthier choice.”
Have you tried nicotine substitutes? What are your views?
The Press Association
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