MPs say e-cigs can fight smoking

RULES around e-cigarettes should be relaxed to help accelerate already declining smoking rates, MPs have said.

Vaping is less harmful than conventional smoking and the two should not be treated the same, according to a Science and Technology Committee (STC) report.

There should be an urgent review to make it easier for e-cigarettes to be made available on prescription, “wider debate” on vaping in public spaces, and greater freedom for the industry to advertise the devices as a less harmful option for smokers, they said.

However the recommendations have been criticised by some public health experts, with one saying the report relies solely on accounts by “e-cig champions”.

The report’s release comes days after scientists warned that the perception that e-cigarettes are safe should be treated with caution. Research led by the University of Birmingham found the vapourised fluid in e-cigarettes has a similar effect on the lungs and body that is seen in regular cigarette smokers and patients with chronic lung disease.

The Government has said it will “carefully consider” the evidence and the STC’s recommendations.

Committee chairman Norman Lamb said current policy and regulations do not “sufficiently reflect” that e-cigarettes are less harmful than conventional alternatives.

“If used correctly, e-cigarettes could be a key weapon in the NHS ‘stop smoking’ arsenal,” he said.

Public Health England has estimated that e-cigarettes are at least 95% less harmful than smoking.