Should e-cigs be prescribed on the NHS?
Health officials have today given their backing to the use of e-cigarettes, claiming the devices are a “game changer in public health”.
Public Health England concludes that E-Cigs are significantly less harmful to health than tobacco and have the potential to help smokers quit smoking.
We want to offer smokers a “range of choices” to help them quit smoking for good, says Professor Kevin Fenton from Public Health England.
Speaking to 5 live Breakfast, he said by licencing and regulating e-cigarettes, the NHS could add them to the “tool kit” to help people give up smoking.
While stressing that e-cigarettes are not free from risk, PHE now believes that e-cigarettes “have the potential to make a significant contribution to the endgame for tobacco”.
“Smoking costs the NHS 2bn a year”, he said, adding that it is a major drain on the service.
What are your views? Should doctors be able to prescribe e-cigs? Have you successfully quit smoking using e-cigs?
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I understand that ecigarettes are also considerably cheaper than cigarettes themselves, so why do they need to be provided for nothing?
I am not sure that e-cigarettes is helpful, as people still have the habit of 'smoking', and I certainly do not think they should be available on the NHS as they are cheaper than cigarettes. If people can afford the high price of cigarettes, they can certainly afford the lower price of e-cigarettes.
I get very excited when they come back to tell me they have stopped smoking and thank you for your help and support!
Will we all have to start funding the healthy eating meals for all the obese people? I could go on - - -.
I agree with all these comments that smokers are better off when they give up smoking and will easily afford the E cigs.
NHS could provide support prog so both parties benefit long term
95% less harmful, the government report says.
I have noticed HUGE improvements to my health since making the switch - and am gladdened by the fact that the government are finally taking wind of the idea that they are a hugely effective smoking cessation device - without doubt the best I have tried.
While I would have always happily paid to make the switch rather than expecting the tax payer to foot the bill for my bad habits, I believe allowing the NHS to offer a limited supply per person (who is relying on the NHS to quit the cigs) of e-cigs and e-liquid instead of the more traditional cessation products, we will have a lot healthier population, relieving strain on the NHS greatly, in the long run.
I don't think more money should be allocated to these devices, but whatever budget they already allocate to cigarette cessation should have a high percentage proportioned to e-cigs.
I see the only bad side to this as being abuse of the system. If people were allowed to keep claiming this product from the NHS over a long time, or worse, if people already using e-cigs started going to the NHS to restock, rather than paying for it themselves. In my opinion, it should be used to show smokers the joy of vaping over cigarette consumption, which they can then personally finance by re-allocating their cigarette budget to, if they chose to continue.
The nature of this is to help people who want to quit smoking, and for me, e-cigs provided that very effectivly. From the first day I picked one up, I did not smoke another cig.
I agree that it is open to abuse though, and would need to be controlled.