New research funded by Cancer Research UK and conducted by the University of Exeter and University of Melbourne, says greater use of e-cigarettes has the potential to make a considerable impact in helping people give up smoking. It also suggests stop smoking services which are e-cigarette friendly should advertise this more openly.
Although there has been a strong shift in attitudes regarding e-cigarettes, there is still some nervousness in local councils and public health services about the use of e-cigarettes which is preventing the widespread establishment of stop smoking services which support vaping.
The research shows strong leadership from organisations such as Public Health England has made a difference in changing attitudes. But the nervousness among some working in public health services and local councils
As part of the study, published in the journal Harm Reduction, academics interviewed staff from eight different stop smoking services in the South-West of England. They found many services are becoming more e-cigarette friendly, welcoming e-cigarette users into their service, however they often fail to advertise this.
There are real opportunities for stop smoking services to use e-cigarettes more actively to help people give up smoking, but for this to happen policies need to be consistent, and people need to share best practice and know what others are doing.
E-cigarettes have the potential to allow stop smoking services to do things differently for marginalized and harder to treat smokers.
Smokers are much more likely to quit with the support of a Stop Smoking Service. And ‘e-cigarette friendly’ services help smokers who try to quit by vaping with behavioural support from a professional, giving them the best chance of quitting tobacco for good.
It’s vital that everyone across is aware of the options available to them as e-cigarettes may have a particularly important role in helping vulnerable or disadvantaged groups to quit.
Source: New research by the University of Exeter and University of Melbourne, funded by Cancer Research UK
https://www.exeter.ac.uk/news/research/title_686954_en.html