An expert independent evidence review published today by Public Health England (PHE) concludes that e-cigarettes are significantly less harmful to health than tobacco and have the potential to help smokers quit smoking.
A landmark report on the safety and benefits to health by switching to e-cigarettes
The Royal College of Physicians' new report, ‘Nicotine without smoke: tobacco harm reduction’, has concluded that e-cigarettes are likely to be beneficial to UK public health. Smokers can therefore be reassured and encouraged to use them, and the public can be reassured that e-cigarettes are much safer than smoking.
"Promote e-cigarettes widely as substitute for smoking says new RCP report"
The report acknowledges the need for proportionate regulation, but suggests that regulation should not be allowed significantly to inhibit the development and use of harm-reduction products by smokers. A regulatory strategy should take a balanced approach in seeking to ensure product safety, enable and encourage smokers to use the product instead of tobacco, and detect and prevent effects that counter the overall goals of tobacco control policy.
E-cigarettes are less toxic and safer to use compared to conventional cigarettes, according to research(link is external)* published in Annals of Internal Medicine
"This study adds to growing evidence that e-cigarettes are a much safer alternative to tobacco, and suggests the long term effects of these products will be minimal." - Alison Cox, Cancer Research UK
Dr Farsalinos has presented his research in major international scientific congresses and has published more than 40 studies and letters about e-cigarettes in peer-reviewed scientific journals.
In mid-2016 he published an analysis of the Eurobarometer survey, which was performed by the European Union (EU) and represents the biggest population survey with a detailed assessment of e-cigarette use ever performed. The analysis of this survey, which included participants from all 28 EU member states, concluded that: “More than six million smokers in the European Union have quit smoking and more than 9 million have reduced smoking consumption with the use of electronic cigarettes.”
You can read Dr Farsalinos’ blog here.
Dr Konstantinos Farsalinos
is a leading cardiologist, working at the Onassis Cardiac Surgery Centre in Athens and at the Department of Pharmacy of the University of Patras in Greece.
