the electronic cigarettes may be prescribed by the national health service. England, with a decision that promises to be revolutionary, is destined to become the first country in the world to authorize the use of “vape“. The confirmation comes from the government: «Ai smokers trying to quit may be prescribed e-cigarettes by the NHS».
Electronic cigarettes against smoking, a historic choice
The drug regulator is ready to update the guidelines. British health secretary Sajid Javid said nearly 64,000 people have died as a result of the smoke in 2019 and that the government is determined to help anyone who wants to break free from the habit.
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«This country continues to be a global leader in health care – said Javid -, whether it is the launch of the vaccine against Covid-19, or whether it is the innovative public health measures that reduce the risk of serious diseases in people. Opening the door to a licensed e-cigarette prescribed by the NHS has the potential to address stark disparities in smoking rates across the country, helping people quit wherever they live and whatever their background.».
Electronic cigarettes could soon be prescribed on the NHS to help people to stop smoking in a world first, the government has announced https://t.co/PV67YGN6uc
— The Times (@thetimes) October 29, 2021
The new rules of the Medicines and Health Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) will have to approve the e-cigarettes presented by the different companies, precisely as is done with vaccines and drugs. If an e-cigarette gains support from the MHRA, doctors will be able to decide on a case-by-case basis whether and how it should be prescribed to patients. The government also stressed that non-smokers and children are still strongly discouraged from using.
Electronic cigarettes contain nicotine and they are not without risks, but experts believe they are less harmful than tobacco. Smoking still remains one of the biggest killers in Britain and an estimated 6.1 million people still smoke in England. There are also large differences in smoking rates across the country, with an index of 23.4% in Blackpool and 22.2% in Kingston upon Hull. Figures that are much higher than in wealthy areas such as Richmond upon Thames (8%).
The government also explained that e-cigarettes are «highly effective» in helping people quit, with 27.2% of smokers using them compared to 18.2% using other products such as patches and gums. Deborah Arnott, of the Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) campaign group, said: «Just as the MHRA led the world in vaccine licensing for Covid-19, today it is a world leader in advocating health clearances for e-cigarettes.». And this decision – underlined Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty, «Is totally justified by the fact that smoking caused more premature deaths in the UK last year than the Covid pandemic. Thanks to vaccines, Covid-19 is being kept under control, but this year, smoking will kill as many people as last year. With nearly 7 million smokers in the UK, smoking will continue to kill people for many years to come until they ban it – Dr Whitty insisted – Smokers have a hard time quitting, taking an average of 30 attempts to be successful. , which is why we need new tools, such as healthcare-authorized e-cigarettes».
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Jonathan Ashworth, Labor Shadow Secretary of State, spoke on the issue: «Smoking kills and eliminating it is the key to helping people live longer, healthier lives with less chance of having fatal diseases». Ashworth himself urged Downing Street to stop smoking. «But years of cuts in health care costs – he added – have destroyed medical assistance of this type. E-cigarettes bought over the counter by consumers have proven to be the most effective aid in quitting, but nearly a third of smokers have never tried them, and a similar proportion mistakenly believe they are as harmful as regular cigarettes, or even more of those“. And he concluded: “These are the smokers who are most likely to try to quit, but to do so they need to be reassured by doctors and science that they can use e-cigarettes with a prescription».
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