The Westminster Select Committee report published today (17/08/2016) states the UK “Government is missing an opportunity with e-cigarettes” to help smokers quit.

The report says there is clear evidence e-cigarettes are substantially less harmful than conventional cigarettes and should not be treated in the same way.

It calls for an improved process to speed up the licensing of e-cigarettes as medicines which could support the switch from smoking to vaping for thousands of would-be quitters.

ASH Wales Chief Executive, Suzanne Cass, said: “We hope Welsh Government and key policy makers will take note of these findings. It is essential that smokers are given access to the full range of quit smoking products and that health care professionals are fully informed about the harms and benefits of using an e-cigarette.

“We must do all we can to ensure smokers are made aware of the evidence that e-cigarettes are significantly less harmful than cigarettes and are a viable and less risky alternative to smoking. The licencing of e-cigarettes could help inform public opinion and make it easier for medical professionals to be able to recommend the use of this product and significantly help those on low incomes and with high levels of addiction.”

The report also states that concerns about the risk of e-cigarettes potentially providing a ‘gateway’ into conventional smoking have not materialised to any significant degree. Similarly, the risk of the variety and type of flavours being attractive to young non-smokers, who would be drawn into e-cigarette use, also appears to be negligible.

However, ASH has some concerns over calls in the report for a review of the advertising restrictions which would potentially allow the tobacco companies to place adverts for e-cigarettes inside cigarette packs. ASH believes the control of any such advertising should be created by public health professionals rather than the tobacco industry.

George Butterworth, from Cancer Research UK, said any changes to current e-cigarette regulations “should be aimed at helping smokers to quit whilst preventing young people from starting to use e-cigarettes”.

A recent study in Wales, published in the BMJ, showed that the experimentation with e-cigarettes amongst young people is on the increase, however regular use remains low. The report also found the vast majority of weekly smokers who had tried tobacco and e-cigarettes reported they tried tobacco before using an e-cigarette.

ENDS

Notes for editors

References:

https://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/science-and-technology-committee/news-parliament-2017/e-cigarettes-report-publication-17-19/

https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/7/2/e012784