E-Cigarettes to become available on NHS Prescription
Discussion
This is headlining in a number of newspapers in their Friday the 29th October editions.
The reason being, is that Health Secretary Sajid Javid believes it will encourage more people to quit smoking....!
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10142683/...
The reason being, is that Health Secretary Sajid Javid believes it will encourage more people to quit smoking....!
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10142683/...
Edited by rjfp1962 on Friday 29th October 00:30
If people can afford to smoke they can easily afford to vape.
One of the commenters on the article said that this is likely the first step to more control and tax hikes. It wouldn't surprise me, it must keep government awake at night knowing all that potential revenue isn't coming in.
One of the commenters on the article said that this is likely the first step to more control and tax hikes. It wouldn't surprise me, it must keep government awake at night knowing all that potential revenue isn't coming in.
Edited by Donbot on Friday 29th October 07:37
Seems entirely sensible to me. The "if you can afford to smoke" argument is a bit silly, as if you can afford to smoke you can also afford Nicotine patches and all the other various reasonably ineffectual ways of quitting that are available on the NHS - why not add one which is likely to be more effective? Vaping is already all over the NHS Quit Smoking website, so it seems sensible to follow that up with vape prescriptions.
Of course they'll have to be approved by the regulator, and the only companies who will be able to do that will be the "big" guys - i.e the tobacco companies, so we could have the amusement of having a prescription fulfilled my Philip Morris, but otherwise I don't really see the issue.
Of course they'll have to be approved by the regulator, and the only companies who will be able to do that will be the "big" guys - i.e the tobacco companies, so we could have the amusement of having a prescription fulfilled my Philip Morris, but otherwise I don't really see the issue.
bodhi said:
Seems entirely sensible to me. The "if you can afford to smoke" argument is a bit silly, as if you can afford to smoke you can also afford Nicotine patches and all the other various reasonably ineffectual ways of quitting that are available on the NHS - why not add one which is likely to be more effective? Vaping is already all over the NHS Quit Smoking website, so it seems sensible to follow that up with vape prescriptions.
Of course they'll have to be approved by the regulator, and the only companies who will be able to do that will be the "big" guys - i.e the tobacco companies, so we could have the amusement of having a prescription fulfilled my Philip Morris, but otherwise I don't really see the issue.
I think all those other ineffective treatments should go as well.Of course they'll have to be approved by the regulator, and the only companies who will be able to do that will be the "big" guys - i.e the tobacco companies, so we could have the amusement of having a prescription fulfilled my Philip Morris, but otherwise I don't really see the issue.
Unless they want to give me a prescription for real ale as a harm reduction method, as supermarket larger is more harmful . . .
272BHP said:
This proposed policy makes me angry. We are constantly told the NHS is lacking funds and then we get this kind of mission creep.
If you build it they will come. Are we going to get another million people vaping because of this policy?
It is playing the long game. If you get a load of people off cigarettes now there will be fewer lung cancers and COPD patients to treat in the future. Treating cancer is more expensive than distributing vapes so it should save a lot of money, eventually. I assume patients won't get to choose what fancy flavour they want and there would be a programme where the nicotine content goes down over time. The NHS wants to promote healthy choices, prevent problems, and keep people out of hospitals, and this idea aligns with that philosophy. If you build it they will come. Are we going to get another million people vaping because of this policy?
I'm sure the way it's implemented will be wasteful and will probably be cut again within five years. There is logic in it though.
Prevention is better (and cheaper) than cure, hence why patients are prescribed daily medication such as aspirin and statins.
Each year 78,000 people in the UK die from smoking with tens of thousands more having with smoking related illnesses, all of it preventable.
A major UK clinical trial published in 2019 found that, when combined with expert face-to-face support, people who used e-cigarettes to quit smoking were twice as likely to succeed as people who used other nicotine replacement products, such as patches or gum.
Source: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/quit-smoking/using-e-...
Each year 78,000 people in the UK die from smoking with tens of thousands more having with smoking related illnesses, all of it preventable.
A major UK clinical trial published in 2019 found that, when combined with expert face-to-face support, people who used e-cigarettes to quit smoking were twice as likely to succeed as people who used other nicotine replacement products, such as patches or gum.
Source: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/quit-smoking/using-e-...
It is great that people will potentially be kept alive for longer but it wont save money.
Sure the smoker that would have got treated for lung cancer and eventually died at 65 is expensive. Keep the same person alive for another 15 years and they will still eventually succumb to some expensive disease with lung cancer being one of them - arguably this will cost more long term.
Individual responsibility and accountability must come into the equation surely - are funds better served elsewhere?
Sure the smoker that would have got treated for lung cancer and eventually died at 65 is expensive. Keep the same person alive for another 15 years and they will still eventually succumb to some expensive disease with lung cancer being one of them - arguably this will cost more long term.
Individual responsibility and accountability must come into the equation surely - are funds better served elsewhere?
Riley Blue said:
I should have written 'potentially cheaper'.
There's a massive task ahead to persuade people to take responsibility for their own health and not to regard the NHS as a free repair kit for their unhealthy life style choices.
Is hardly free is it? If a smoker has smoked for years just think of the tax they've paid....! Probably paid thir dues a few times over when they finally need the NHS and a hospital.......!There's a massive task ahead to persuade people to take responsibility for their own health and not to regard the NHS as a free repair kit for their unhealthy life style choices.
rjfp1962 said:
Riley Blue said:
I should have written 'potentially cheaper'.
There's a massive task ahead to persuade people to take responsibility for their own health and not to regard the NHS as a free repair kit for their unhealthy life style choices.
Is hardly free is it? If a smoker has smoked for years just think of the tax they've paid....! Probably paid thir dues a few times over when they finally need the NHS and a hospital.......!There's a massive task ahead to persuade people to take responsibility for their own health and not to regard the NHS as a free repair kit for their unhealthy life style choices.
Gassing Station | Health Matters | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff