England to be first country in the world to prescribe vapes

Vapes to replace cigs on the streets of the UK

England is to be the first country on the planet to legalise the prescription of vapes to the general public. Guidance from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) suggests that vapes could soon be prescribed to smokers by the NHS, reports Vice. According to numerous studies by scientific experts, vapes are significantly healthier than cigarettes. Though e-cigarettes are not completely harmless, many believe they are 95 per cent safer than puffing on straights or rolleys. “By following the science, the UK has been a global pioneer in taking a pragmatic and proportionate response to vaping as a public health benefit,” Harry Shapiro, director of drug charity DrugWise told Vice. “Vaping devices are readily available in the UK, although more disadvantaged people may well benefit from a prescription. Equally important is the message it sends out to doctors and current smokers that vaping is significantly safer than smoking. Smokers should be encouraged to switch to improve their health and even save their life.” Though vapes do contain nicotine, which is highly addictive, they do not contain carbon monoxide or tar like cigarettes. “I am convinced this will be a game changer,” said Sir Norman Lamb, the former health minister who chaired the Commons science and technology committee’s inquiry into e-cigarettes in 2018. The inquiry found that prescribing vapes could have a “significant benefit”. The current health secretary Sajid Javid said that: “Opening the door to a licensed e-cigarette prescribed on the NHS has the potential to tackle the stark disparities in smoking rates across the country, helping people stop smoking wherever they live and whatever their background.” This comes two days after the price of tobacco-based products saw a hefty price increase. Read the story here.

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