For some, vaping is the only way to escape the grip of cigarettes. For others, even if they are just on the sidelines, ignoring the scientific evidence, they believe vaping is a gateway to cigarettes. The evidence is that proponents of vaping are a way to gradually reduce nicotine addiction, while pharmacists are still wondering if it is just another evil they have to deal with.
The Guardian reported on researchers claiming that vaping could reduce the side effect of quitting smoking – weight gain. While some other papers have mixed up the article and suggested that e-cigarettes could be a way to lose weight, Linda Bauld has put it in the most precise terms.
Professor Linda Bauld
“People can vary their nicotine dose, so to quit, they can start with a high dose of nicotine and slowly reduce it much more easily than with NRT, which is great for weight loss and weight maintenance,” she says.
“You have to pour the e-liquid , you can mix your own e-liquid, you experiment with different flavors, your hands are busy so you probably don’t have time to touch the snack bags,” Bauld adds.
An article for Chemist and Druggist noted that pharmacists face challenging quitting targets while also facing the financial rewards of selling smoking cessation products. And in conclusion, the author wondered whether they should embrace e-cigarettes.
“The decline in smoking is due to the rise of vaping, a habit that has been described as “95% safer than smoking” – like calling methadone 95% safer than heroin. Personally, I don’t see this as a way to reduce smoking, it’s just another way to smoke,” the author commented.
“At a recent ‘vaping awareness’ event, they were told that they would now be paid to support people who switched from smoking to vaping. This decision was reviewed by a public health panel. By their logic, a ‘vaper’ should be considered a ‘quitter’, even though they have not actually quit smoking,” they explained.
It is disappointing that the stereotype of vaping as smoking is still accepted despite the overwhelming evidence of its benefits.
Meanwhile, a professor in charge of public health noted a striking fact: “according to information from the state of Florida, the number of people using e-cigarettes and shisha instead of regular cigarettes.”
So, should British pharmacists be actively promoting e-cigarettes as a way to quit smoking? Whatever the answer, it is up to us as vapers to educate people about the benefits of e-cigarettes and correct the misinformation that has been spread in our communities.
