Electronic Cigarettes

[EmJay]

Hi Everyone, I have in front of me the latest document produced by the National Centre for Smoking Cessation and Training (NCSCT) that has been produced in partnership with Public Health England.

I thought I would share it with you all

The National Centre for Smoking Cessation and Training (NCSCT) was established to support the delivery of smoking cessation interventions provided by local stop smoking services, support the NHS and Local Authorities to deliver effective evidence-based tobacco control programmes, and deliver training and assessment programmes to stop smoking practitioners and other health care professionals.

This briefing brings together all of the latest evidence on the use, effectiveness and safety of electronic cigarettes and suggests what role stop smoking services might have in relation to electronic cigarettes; and how they should respond to enquiries about them from smokers.

This briefing has been written because many stop smoking services are struggling to decide what role

they have in relation to electronic cigarettes, and how they should respond to enquiries about them

from smokers. There is also debate about the future licencing of electronic cigarettes and whether they

offer an opportunity to make significant public health improvements or not.

Please find below the exective summary of the document, however if you would like to read the whole document, please ckick on the link for more details;

ncsct.co.uk/usr/pub/e-cigar...

Executive summary

- Electronic cigarettes are devices that deliver nicotine by heating and vapourising a solution that

typically contains nicotine, propylene glycol and/or glycerol, and flavourings

- Electronic cigarette use is increasing in smokers wanting to quit but particularly among smokers

who want to reduce the health risks of smoking or to save money

- Electronic cigarettes are not currently licensed for smoking cessation; they do have to comply

with consumer protection legislation

- The quality of electronic cigarettes is improving. With experience, users can achieve overall blood

nicotine levels similar to those achieved with smoking conventional cigarettes; although it takes

longer to reach these levels and they still receive less nicotine per puffing session

- Electronic cigarettes can reduce urges to smoke and can help smokers quit, although these data

are not as robust as those for licensed stop smoking medicines

- Data from one good quality randomised controlled trial show that electronic cigarettes were as

effective as nicotine patches in helping people stop smoking for six months, when used in

combination with minimal support from a trained practitioner

- Short-term exposure to electronic cigarettes appears to be associated with few serious risks.

Mouth and throat irritation are the most commonly reported symptoms and these appear to

subside over time. There are no high quality safety data regarding long-term electronic cigarette

use but there is no a-priori reason to expect that such use may pose risks anywhere near the risks

associated with smoking

- Low levels of toxicants and carcinogens have been detected in electronic cigarette liquid and vapour

although these are much lower than those found in conventional cigarette smoke and are not

considered to pose any passive inhalation risk.

I hope that it provides some of you with any answers you may have around understanding the use of the e-cig and the future of it within this whole stopping smoking business.

Any questions, please just ask and I'll do my best to come back to you

[Pinkiezoom 26 Months Winner]

Thanks for that Emjay looks like the wheels might be turning in the favour of them. I would love to know how many people have switched.I mean i wont be in any statistics, as i never discussed it with a doc, or stop smoking group etc, and there must be lots more like me. There is always a queue at the liquid shop i use,and they were popular in France too!

[EmJay Partner]

There are many, many others who would never have considered stopping smoking if it wasn't for the e-cig Al. Again, like yourself - many will have just gone out and bought the e-cig themselves without telling anybody but I think numbers will also be counted by way of the amount of e-cigarettes sold - although this would never be a true reflection as many users buy more than one e-cig anyway

I'm just hoping that those who choose to use them are hoping to stop their use after some time and not just have them as a long term alternative to smoking.

Like you, I went to Paris and it is the only place where I have ever been where you can say smoking looks classy - It could only be the Parisians eh?!

It probably won't be long though before they realise the dangers of smoking to themselves too - maybe that's why there is an increase in the use of the e-cig - Let's hope so eh?!

[gibbers 7 MONTH WINNER]

I've been using my e-cigs and successfully been off tobacco for almost 7 weeks. I would honestly recommend it to anyone that wants to get off of the tobacco but not necessarily concerned about nicotine. I've already influenced two co-workers into trying it and now I'm scheduled to start making the liquid for at least one of them (I bought a kit that came with everything needed including pre-mixed unflavored liquid for $65). As cheap as vaping compared to smoking already is, I can save even more money now AND add more flavor if need be

[Marion0151 1 YEAR WINNER]

Thank you for sharing this, I have quit smoking with this sites support 26th march 2013, with the help also of an e cig it's just reassured me thAt it's still safer than smoking, I have been worried. So big thank you

[kirsty72]

When my doctor asks me if I smoke, I always say no now, but should I, seeing as though there are still slight risks and blood tests would show up nicotine?

[MrEdd]

It's good to see an unbiased report for once. I like others have tried lots of NRT options to try and stop smoking but have only had long term success with the e-cig.

I can see the worries though and attraction to kids with all the exotic flavours - my personal view is that they should only be sold to smokers who wish to quit (although I can see that's hard to do).

I've been quit and used an ecig for just over 8 months and have been using No Nicotine liquid for nearly a week now.

Quiting the nicotine is hard and like 'yellow snowdrop' said - it feels like you're giving up again (but not nearly so hard as the first stage).

Even though there is no nicotine, I still use the ecig and its more as a comfort blanket than anything else - I think I'd find it hard if I didn't have it.

I'm aiming to stop using it over the coming months and be totally off the ecig by the time I come to 1 year quit.

All in all - the e-cig has been a great help to me in quiting and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to try and quit smoking

[Pinkiezoom 26 Months Winner in reply to MrEdd]

Hi MrEdd,

Did you reduce your nicotine down over a few months and then go onto 0% liquid? I am toying with the idea of starting in earnest to get my nic down. But tried it briefly and found it really hard. Any advice would be great. x

[MrEdd in reply to Pinkiezoom]

Hi Pinkiezoom

Yeah - I went down from 16mg to 11mg to 6mg - back up to 11mg (6 was too low at the time). I did this over 6 months or so. Then I bought some Nicotine Free liquid and started to mix with 11mg - finally gave up on that, bit the bullet and went to 0mg last week at my 8 month stage - to try and be nic free for 4 months for my 1 year goal.

I'll be honest though - and its probably coincidence - but I've been nothing but ill this past week - sore throat - cold - generally run down but sticking at it.

I'd just give it a try when you're ready, you can always go back - don't worry about it is the thing, just keep trying to stop the nicotine and I'm sure at one point you'll be ready.

Good luck

[EmJay Partner]

Hi Everyone, thank you for your comments

The huge thing about the e-cig (regardless of what we understand about it) is that it has helped many people to stop smoking and also encouraged many, many more who would never have considered stopping smoking in the first place.

Ideally, people will use the e-cig to help them stop smoking and then eventually give them up in the end. Rather than use them as an alternative to smoking.

The only thing that I would ask users to do (or not do ) is that they make every effort not to smoke more of their e-cig than they would a 'normal' cigarette. To only use them as and when they feel the need to smoke, and not be using them everywhere - so for example not using them in the supermarket, or in the pub, workplace etc.

I've also awarded a few more badges above

[EmJay Partner]

Only me again

I've just come across this news article that you may be interested in;

bbc.co.uk/news/health-27485954

[TerryOR 3 YEAR WINNER in reply to EmJay]

Thank you, EmJay, that is really WORTH Reading!!!