Public Health England publishes independent evidence papers

[VapingBad]

link

2 Papers:

Electronic Cigarettes: a report commissioned by Public Health England by Professor John Britton and Dr Ilze Bogdanovica (University of Nottingham) takes a broad look at the issues relating to e-cigarettes including their role in tobacco harm reduction, potential hazards, potential benefits and regulation.


E-cigarette uptake and marketing: a report commissioned by Public Health England by Professor Linda Bauld, Kathryn Angus and Dr Marisa de Andrade (University of Stirling) examines use of e-cigarettes by children and young people, the scale and nature of current marketing and its implications, in particular in relation to its potential appeal to young people.

Publication of the evidence papers coincides with a national symposium, ‘Electronic cigarettes and tobacco harm reduction’, being held by PHE in London today. The symposium brings together senior public health leaders to discuss the opportunities and risks presented by the rise of e-cigarettes, and to identify areas of consensus to inform future action.


Summary from the first:

Smoking kills, and millions of smokers alive today will die prematurely from their smoking unless they quit. This burden falls predominantly on the most disadvantaged in society. Preventing this death and disability requires measures that help as many of today’s smokers to quit as possible. The option of switching to electronic cigarettes as an alternative and much safer source of nicotine, as a personal lifestyle choice rather than medical service, has enormous potential to reach smokers currently refractory to existing approaches. The emergence of electronic cigarettes and the likely arrival of more effective nicotine-containing devices currently in development provides a radical alternative to tobacco, and evidence to date suggests that smokers are willing to use these products in substantial numbers. Electronic cigarettes, and other nicotine devices, therefore offer vast potential health benefits, but maximising those benefits while minimising harms and risks to society requires appropriate regulation, careful monitoring, and risk management. However the opportunity to harness this potential into public health policy, complementing existing comprehensive tobacco control policies, should not be missed.

[GunJack]

I'm beginning to go off John Britten a bit, he's being turned by the "regulate to ineffective" lobby......

[charon]

I'm afraid it sounds like a case of SSDB

[GunJack]

May 15, 2014 20:57:48 GMT charon said:

I'm afraid it sounds like a case of SSDB

?? please explain....

[charon]

Same Sh1t Different Bucket

[MarkS]

Overall both reports are pretty positive imo. Both are factual and do not try and manipulate data from studies.

When you think where we were this time last year, reports from PHE like that would have been a godsend.

Prof Britton may still want med regs for ecigs, but things are slowly moving in the right direction for us.

As I said on UKV, anyone reading those reports will realise there is no need to panic. That Ecigs are not going to become the next plague and thoughtful regulation is needed.

Plus since it has followed Glantz's hatchet job report on ecigs these are both very good and credible counters.

[lal]

Thanks for this, will forward to my anti ecig public health colleagues!

[markm]

DaveD was at the PHE symposium, his show on Sunday evening should be interesting.