Let the sick puff on e-cigs in hospitals
Call to help more quit tobacco
HOSPITALS are being urged to sell e-cigarettes and set up vaping lounges in wards.
Public Health England said the move would help more tobacco smokers kick the deadly habit.
And the group wants a medical licence issued so that GPs can give quitters e-cigs for free.
The recommendations are part of plans to make public spaces and workplaces vape-- friendly by replacing traditional smoking shelters. PHE’s Martin Dockrell said: “There is no reason why a hospital shouldn’t designate indoor areas where patients and visitors can vape.
“We are saying no smoking anywhere on the grounds, that [smoking] shelter becomes a vaping shelter. It is important you treat smoking differently than vaping. That’s policy already, by the end of next year the NHS should be smoke-free.
“There are two parts to being a smoke-free hospital – one is not allowing smoking, the other is helping every smoker to quit.”
The call comes amid concern at vaping numbers flatlining after hitting three million users.
PHE said e-cigs have 5% of the health risk of cigarettes and 1% of the cancer risk – and help at least 20,000 smokers quit a year.
Simon Clark of smokers’ group Forest said: “We welcome PHE’s support for e-cigarettes but further attempts to ban smoking on NHS sites will be resisted.”
Smoking among 16 to 24-yearolds in Norway fell to 1% for females and 3% for males in 2017 from 30% and 29% in 2001, with a rise in nicotine substitute Snus.