E-cigarettes could be prescribed by the NHS to help smokers quit

dowie

dowie

dowie

Caporegime
Joined
29 Jan 2008
Posts
59,180
E-cigarettes are 95% less harmful than tobacco and could be prescribed on the NHS in future to help smokers quit, a review of their use has concluded.
Experts who have compiled a report for Public Health England say "vaping" could be a "game changer" for persuading people to quit cigarettes.
They also say there is no evidence they give children a "gateway" into smoking.
Some health campaigners have welcomed the findings, but the British Medical Association has expressed caution.
Click to expand...

while I think it is likely a good thing these e-cigarettes exist I don't quite see why they need to be prescribed - why is the NHS potentially going to pay for them when people can, if they want to use them to quit smoking, just go and buy some themselves? Given that most prescriptions are given to people who don't even pay the £8.20 charge should we really have a health service that dishes out stuff like this?

I mean if you're a smoker, you're already spending thousands a year on fags, if your doctor advises you to not spend money on fags and to buy e-cigarettes then you're going to be saving money anyway - the state shouldn't need to subsidise it.

I mean if a fat person is advised to lose weight by eating healthily and doing some exercise they don't need an NHS prescription for free fruit and veg and a gym membership.

Or how about someone who isn't getting enough fluids - should the NHS pay for their water bill?

But then we have other silly examples - the NHS actually does pay for some people's shopping:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-33970598

Instead of simply just not buying food that contains gluten, some people actually get prescriptions for food from the NHS???

I'm just really surprised, surely these are obvious examples of wasted money?
 
Its an addiction which costs the NHS loads. Why is it any different to them precribing champix or nicotine gum or methodene for drug users?
 
I really like the smell of some ecigs. Some of the flavours smell amazing.

Not going to start though.
 
Greebo said:
Its an addiction which costs the NHS loads. Why is it any different to them precribing champix or nicotine gum or methodene for drug users?
Click to expand...

it isn't any different to prescribing nicotine gum, why does that need to be given away for free on a prescription - someone wanting to quit can just as easily buy it. Obesity costs the NHS loads - it doesn't mean you need to prescribe fat people healthy food to eat, merely give them advice on how to eat healthily - just as you can give smokers advice on how to quit.

it is very different to methadone which is a controlled substance
 
I think it is a bit crazy but if it saves money in the long run I am up for it.

I still think it is a shame more isn't done on the preventative front. I want to wake up one day and read an article on free NHS gym chains!
 
How will they be distributed? Know a lad who's recently set up his own ecig business and he'll be laughing if he can benefit from this.
 
If it helps smokers quit than I'm all for it. Whatever it costs the NHS to do this, it will be less than the cost of treating the myriad of diseases a smoker is likely to contract before they die.

<-- Been smoke free for 1 year 284 days because of e-cigs.
 
No, let them smoke. Our taxes will have to go up if people quite. I'm quote happy for them to subsidise me.
Rilot said:
If it helps smokers quit than I'm all for it. Whatever it costs the NHS to do this, it will be less than the cost of treating the myriad of diseases a smoker is likely to contract before they die.

<-- Been smoke free for 1 year 284 days because of e-cigs.
Click to expand...

Not in the slightest. Tax revenue from smoking is far higher than nhs cost, in the billions more, about 10billion to be precise. So it would be a massive tax loss to stop smoking. Revenue from tobacco is about 12billion, cost to nhs is estimated at 1.7-5billion
 
Last edited:
Glaucus said:
No, let them smoke. Our taxes will have to go up if people quite. I'm quote happy for them to subsidise me.


Not in the slightest. Tax revenue from smoking is far higher than nhs cost, in the billions more, about 10billion to be precise. So it would be a massive tax loss to stop smoking.
Click to expand...

So you're willing to see genetic degradation pass from these people down to unsuspecting and innocent children of the future?
 
People then get addicted to E-cigs which in turn we find out years ahead that they are dangerous to health!
 
Glaucus said:
No, let them smoke. Our taxes will have to go up if people quite. I'm quote happy for them to subsidise me.


Not in the slightest. Tax revenue from smoking is far higher than nhs cost, in the billions more, about 10billion to be precise. So it would be a massive tax loss to stop smoking. Revenue from tobacco is about 12billion, cost to nhs is estimated at 1.7-5billion
Click to expand...

Let them shift the tax to e-cigs instead
 
Glaucus said:
Really. Better start banning lots of traits then if you want a return to more natural selection times.
Click to expand...

Nothing to do with natural selection, but basic human health, id hazard that people who's families have smoked for generations, have less able immune response and with the looming antibiotic crisis, they'll be the first the suffer.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom