NHS to offer e-cigarettes on prescription

[Bobsbeer]

The involvement of PHE in such a positive way at this stage before regulation comes in, has to be seen as a positive for us all. Given the overwhelming positive approach taken by PHE, it has put other organisations on the back foot. The BMA for instance, who are clearly minded to take Big P's position, will be made to look like fools if they try to maintain their blanket opposition. That will undermine their credibility, something they will have to consider. I do expect a backlash to this report by Big P & T, and no doubt in the next month or so we will see it. However as hard facts emerge it will be difficult to maintain that vaping is just as harmful as smoking, so I would expect other tactics to predominate given that the harm position hasn't worked.

[djs]

Let's face it. The "government" will set up a scheme where rubbish e-cigs are prescribed and the Tobacco companies will reap the profits.
Most doctors will not understand the logic of decent personal vapourizers and think they are doing the right thing. However, the products will be little more than a distraction for committed smokers - that's a (almost) certainty.
So - Tobacco wins.
The NHS loses.
The "oh-so-poor" folk who pay £16 a day for 2 packs of fags will get free e-cigs and just dual fuel their way to increased nicotine addiction.

I call it a right f up.

I approve of free prescription/medicines to people that can't pay. But, unless someone is smoking black market (probably rolling) tobacco then they can afford a £20 e-cig.

Actually, what the geniuses at the NHS won't have worked out is that rather than paying crappy-plastic-placebo-stick companies thousands of pounds for 60p cig-a-likes, the current charge of £8.20 would probably BUY a refillable e-cig if someone with some brains put their mind to it.

Think about it? Rather than prescribing an e-cig, buy 200,000 of them (to start) and give them away to people committed to stopping smoking.