Earlier this year, e-cigarettes were officially recognized as smoking cessation tools by the UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), and included in their newly released tobacco guidelines.

The World Vapers’ Alliance (WVA) had welcomed the development. “The draft new guidelines on how to effectively help smokers to quit, published today, state that:

•  ‘Féadann r-toitíní ina bhfuil Nicitín cabhrú le daoine éirí as caitheamh tobac agus tá siad chomh héifeachtach céanna le roghanna scoir eile’ agus
• 'Ba cheart go mbeadh daoine in ann r-toitíní a úsáid mar cheann de go leor roghanna chun tacú le scor den chaitheamh tobac, más mian leo.'”

The UK remains a world leader in tobacco harm reduction

Similarly, Yorkshire Cancer Research has commended the move. “We are delighted to see that vaping products have been included in the NICE tobacco guidelines,” said Dr Kathryn Scott, Chief Executive at Yorkshire Cancer Research. “The Charity’s goal is for 2,000 more people in Yorkshire to survive cancer every year. With more than 4,500 new cases of cancer linked to smoking in the region each year, helping people to stop smoking cigarettes is vital to achieving this goal.”

World Vapers Association (WVA) Director Michael Landl, said that the UK has been a leader in endorsing the use of safer alternatives to reduce tobacco harm, and local smoking rates are reflecting this. “Once more the UK is setting an example for the world on how to effectively and pragmatically help smokers to quit. The UK authorities are following the evidence and supporting a tool that actually works. They are supporting smokers to switch to vaping.”

Public Health England (PHE), also an agency of the UK Ministry of Health, has consistently been recommending switching from smoking to using e-cigarettes for a number of years. “Due to this proactive approach, the UK sees better results in reducing smoking compared to countries where vaping is restricted” added Landl. “The UK’s successful public health and vaping policies should be followed by other countries around the world.”