Electronic Cigarettes

[rafhelp]

I know pharmacies stock and sell nicotine replacement products such as gums, lozenges, patches and inhalators.

All these together with will power help with smoking cessation. However only really the inhalator helps with the 'hand to mouth' craving/need.

I am able to supply retailers/persons with electronic cigarettes but I wanted to know if these are something which pharmacies would stock?

Generally a retail pharmacy would welcome anything which improved the health and wellbeing of there patients/community. SO based on this fact I would have thought yes. The electronic cigarettes I can supply are similar to the inhalator but they taste and look like a real cigarette would aswell as producing artificial smoke (composed of water and propylene glycol). The health benefit is due to the fact that they contain 0% tar and 0% tobacco and do not cause passive smoking either.

But the argument against selling these in a pharmacy is that they are a substitute rather than being an aid to smoking cessation.

What is your opinion. (PM me for availability, etc.)

[johnep]

Saw the occasional advert, but you must realise buying decisions now in hands of very few people. They would want to know how many millions you propose to spend on advertising on TV etc. Could offer direct to public on ebay.
johnep

[rafhelp]

cant sell these on ebay do to their policies. In terms of marketing that I would not get involved in. Take a look at say Boots adverts on TV. If the company wants to promote a product they sell then they have to bear the costs of the advertising. Independents would be the main targets as the buyer can be dealt with locally and quicker.

[JonF]

Are they safe? I'm not convinced

[Nik]

Generally a retail pharmacy would welcome anything which improved the health and wellbeing of there patients/community. SO based on this fact I would have thought yes. The electronic cigarettes I can supply are similar to the inhalator but they taste and look like a real cigarette would aswell as producing artificial smoke (composed of water and propylene glycol). The health benefit is due to the fact that they contain 0% tar and 0% tobacco and do not cause passive smoking either.

But the argument against selling these in a pharmacy is that they are a substitute rather than being an aid to smoking cessation.

What is your opinion. (PM me for availability, etc.)

I am sure I have seen a thread like this before where I posted links to BBC articles. Anyway, whilst the facts you mention in the design of the e-cigarette may be true, currently there is NO evidence supporting their use in cessation therapy and no evidence suggesting they are better than NRT.
As for safety:

BBC NEWS | Health | Fears over electronic cigarettes

BBC NEWS | UK | Concern over 'e-cigarette' sales

[rafhelp]

I dont get it! Smoking normal cigarettes causes heart disease, cancer and all sorts of diseases aswell as damaging teeth etc.. and even causing death, so how can electronic cigarettes be any worse?

I mean say smoking cigarettes was likened to running across 100 meters of broken sharp glass. Then i came along and said hey why dont you wear these slippers and your feet wont get cut. Then someone turns around and says well im not using them unless they are 100% safer/effective. The point is even if they are not 100% effective they will still prevent a lot of cuts and bruises from the glass.

[johnep]

Oh! The lesser of two evils.
johnep

[Nik]

Until there is an evidence base behind it how can it be recommended for smoking cessation ?

[rafhelp]

Isnt it already scientifically proven that the majority of the disease associated with smoking are caused by the inhalation of tar and tobacco?

If so by removing those two main factors from the smoking experience, coupled with the fact that there are various strengths of nicotine available including 0%, doesnt this make it suitable as an aid to smoking cessation?

I think the main opposition to e-cigarettes is from cigarette manufacturers such as B&H who would lose profits if people converted to the electronic ones.

I think what people should not expect is that they are completely harmless, after all it contains chemicals as well as nicotine, which is a drug and all drugs have side effects.

[Nik]

So pharmacies should sell smoking products ? If people want to smoke e-cigarettes there are companies out there who are able to supply. Stocking this product in pharmacies who already stock NRT products, advise on smoking cessation and who run such clinics, seems bizarre.