What you need to know about electronic cigarettes (from Royal College of Physicians)

With all the negative “propaganda” being published and aired recently, this is a refreshing analytical overview of “ecigarettes”. Although I could argue with a few points here and there, in general, there’s not an awful lot that I disagree with.

Read full article at http://www.rcplondon.ac.uk/commentary/what-you-need-know-about-electronic-cigarettes

Electronic cigarettes have become a staple of everyday UKand Irish life in a remarkably short time, but questions about their safety, efficacy and legal status still need to be answered. Dr Ilze Bogdanovica, Professor Linda Bauld and Professor John Britton from the UK Centre for Tobacco and Alcohol Studies review the facts and give their views.

Electronic cigarettes – commonly known as e-cigarettes – are novel nicotine delivery devices that were developed in China more than 10 years ago. Most first-generation devices bore a physical resemblance to cigarettes (so-called cigalikes), but a wide range of larger designs known by various names including personal vapourisers and clearomisers has since been introduced.

E-cigarettes have been available in the UK since around 2005, and since then sales and use have risen dramatically. This rapid proliferation in the UK and elsewhere has provoked extensive debate on the role of e-cigarettes in health and society. Although some claim that uncertainty about their effects and role in tobacco control precludes e-cigarettes from being endorsed on health grounds, others argue that any products that offer a significantly lower hazard alternative to tobacco should be welcomed.

Read full article at http://www.rcplondon.ac.uk/commentary/what-you-need-know-about-electronic-cigarettes