Decision Maker: Director of Public Health
Decision status: Recommendations Approved
Is Key decision?: Yes
Is subject to call in?: Yes
The purpose of this report is to explain the
use of E-Cigarettes as a harm reduction tool, to assist people to
stop smoking, when used as part of a comprehensive package of
support to individuals accessing the Living Well Smokefree
Service.
The decision is to award a contract for a supplier of E-Cigarettes
to be used as part of the service offer provided by Living well
Smokefree.
To award a contract for the supply of
e-cigarettes as a harm reduction tool to be used as part of the
Living Well Smoke Free Service offer.
In recent years, e-cigarettes have become a
very popular stop smoking aid in the United Kingdom. They are far
less harmful than cigarettes (95% safer than smoking normal
cigarettes) and they can help adults quit smoking for good. They
are not recommended or should not be sold to people who are younger
than 18 years old. They should also not be used by
non-smokers.
As a service Living Well Smokefree (LWSF) are encouraged to provide
access to e-cigarettes by the National Centre for Smoking Cessation
and Training (NCSCT), Office of Health Improvement and Disparities,
(OHID) National Institute for clinical Excellence (NICE) and Action
on Smoking and Health (ASH), all of which are bodies seeking to
reduce the harm caused by smoking.
North Yorkshire County Council provides the LWSF to people who want
to quit smoking The current service offer includes using proven
methods of stopping smoking like nicotine replacement therapy (NRT)
or Zyban to help to break individuals’ reliance on nicotine
alongside behavioural interventions.
The proposal is to introduce e-cigarettes into the LWSF as an
alternative offer that will support individuals to quit smoking.
The service undertook an e-cigarette pilot in July 2021 to February
2022. Within this time period, 144 people set a quit date with the
intent of using an e-cigarette as a harm reduction intervention. Of
those 144 people that set a quit date with the intent of using an
e-cigarette, 134 achieved a positive 4 week quit status. In terms
of a conversion quit rate, that worked out at 93%.
Although the most recent evidence suggests that e-cigarettes are
significantly less harmful than smoking tobacco, they are not risk
free. Most e-cigarettes contain nicotine, which is highly
addictive, as well as other ingredients such as propylene glycol,
glycerine and flavourings.
E-cigarettes have been regulated by the government since May 2016.
From April 2017 it's illegal to sell e-cigarettes to, or buy them
for, under 18s. It will be some time until studies will show the
long-term impact and any unforeseen risks of using e-cigarettes.
More is known about the safety and effectiveness of other stop
smoking medications.
Publication date: 27/03/2023
Date of decision: 22/03/2023
Effective from: 04/04/2023
Accompanying Documents: