Could E-cigs soon be available on the NHS?

With the ever-growing popularity of vaping in recent years and the various studies that show e cigarettes can be an effective aid to help quit smoking, there have been calls for them to be prescribed on the NHS.

The Public Health Executive (PHE) has said that it was “committed to ensuring that smokers have a range of evidence-based effective tools to help them to quit”. PHE were looking forward to the time when there would be “a choice of medicinally regulated products that can be made available to smokers by the NHS on prescription.”

The first steps towards this aim have been taken this month. An e-cigarette has been granted a licence by Britain’s medicines regulator for the first time. A licence has been granted by The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency to British American Tobacco for its brand of e-Voke devices. These can now be marketed as a smoking cessation aid.

A Cautious Approach

Despite this ground-breaking advancement, Dr Tim Ballard, the vice-chairman of the Royal College of General Practitioners has voiced concerns and urged for caution. Stating “Potentially there may be a place for the prescription of *e-Voke as part of a smoking cessation programme…”. Before telling patients that the devices are available on the NHS, Dr. Ballard called for more research to be carried out.

Dr Ballard was also quoted as saying “GP’s would be very wary of prescribing them until there was clear evidence of their safety and of their efficacy in helping people to quit.”

This suggests that although we have seen the first steps taken towards the medical regulation of e-cigarettes, we may still be some way from seeing them prescribed by the NHS to help smokers who wish to quit.

Although the recent NHS Quit Smoking guide “10 health benefits of stopping smoking” the current FAQ section on the NHS “Quit Smoking” page asks:

Can I get an e-cigarette from my GP?
E-cigarettes are not currently available from the NHS on prescription, so you cannot get one from your GP.

You can buy them from specialist vape shops, some pharmacies and other retailers, or on the internet.

Electronic cigarette review sites and those who are pro e-cigarettes will point out that if we wait 10 years for evidence based information, many smokers will die. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention over 5 million people WILL die from smoking in the USA alone!

• e-Voke ; MHRA medicine licence granted to BAT. BAT also manufacture the Vype ePen 3, the eBox and Vype eTank range of e cigarettes

How’s your VApril going so far? Whether you’ve been stoically supporting the vaping awareness month campaign or have begun to switch to vaping – we’re here to provide that added momentum, fresh impetus, and drive, that you may just require, in order to keep you vaping this VApril.

Buying Your E-Liquid Online

It might seem obvious, but one of the key contributing factors to staying smoke-free is enjoying the experience of your vape. This will predominantly come down to what you vape – your e-liquid. The flavour of your vape will be a matter of personal preference, however, the taste that you expect, should be clean and leave you satisfied.

If you’ve just started vaping you may have discovered that not all e-liquids taste the same – far from it in fact. Additionally, and rather inconveniently, most high street retailers won’t necessarily stock the same brands of e-liquid, which means that unless you stock up on your favourite e-liquid well in advance, you might not always be able to experience the same consistently great taste that you want and have come to expect from your vaping.

The answer? Buy your e-liquid online! Affordable, delivered quickly to your door and provide you with that same consistent high-quality e-liquid that you know will keep you away from the cigarettes – you can find your favourite flavours with a sample pack and then bulk buy as you see fit to save on costs.

Need a More Powerful Vaporizer?

In all instances, we recommend purchasing an affordable and easy to use starter e-cigarette such as Vapour2’s Classic Range. But what if that’s not giving you what you want in order to stay smoke-free. Depending on your previous habits and consumption of cigarettes, it’s feasible that a simple starter e-cigarette may not be satisfying your needs.

It may seem like a drag, but the answer you’re looking for may be to do with the power of your e-cigarette, which means you’ll probably want to think about upgrading your device. If you’re keen to continue using prefilled e-liquid cartridges Vapour2’s EX Series will give you double the power and double the vapour production.

If you’d like to introduce some serious power to your vaping experience and make the move to filling your own blank cartridges with e-liquid – then Vapour2’s Pro Series 3 and 3X is the device for you.

How to stay smoke-free this VApril

You may think that by owning a decent vaporizer and having a quantity of your new found favourite e-liquid to hand, that you’ve got all you need to keep vaping and stay smoke-free. In most cases this would be true, however, the real secret to staying smoke-free is to have a backup plan. By this, we mean essential accessories.

E-cigarettes and vaporizers are expensive bits of kit, which is why you should avoid carrying devices around in your pockets or left loose in handbags or rucksacks. Having a suitable carry case to transport your battery and e-liquid should be a priority to keep your essentials safe.

A replacement rechargeable battery may seem like an expense you’d rather not entertain at this point, but the worst thing when your craving nicotine is realising that your vaporizer has run out of power. Invest in a replacement battery that can be stored in your new carry case, and avoid the temptation to give into cigarettes just because you haven’t got enough battery in your vaporizer.

Stay smoke-free, and vape happy this VApril.

Hi-ho and here we go, as another jam packed VApril challenge gets set go underway this spring. Calling upon vapers far and wide to celebrate, embrace and share the benefits that vaping can have on smokers lives – let’s take a look at what’s in store this April.

Speak up for Vaping

Know smokers who still think that vaping is some spurious and curious fandangled fashion accessory that poses the same risks as smoking? Studies suggest that 44% of the 7 million smokers in the UK are still unaware that e-cigarettes are considerably less harmful than their tobacco counterparts – which is quite frankly a worryingly high number.

It was way back in 2015 that Public Health England (PHE) published their independent report stating that e cigs are staggeringly 95% less harmful than smoking and that vaping has the potential to help smokers become smoke-free. In fact, according to PHE, vaping may be helping up to 20,000 smokers relinquish the fatal habit of smoking and make the positive switch to vaping which account for estimates of 2.6 million vapers leading altogether healthier lives than they had been doing so previously.

If you’re one of the millions vapers who have felt the positive benefits that vaping has had on your life, why not speak up for vaping and let people know your story. Join the Vapril Campaign and take the challenge to speak up for vaping.

Switch on to Vaping

Still smoking? Not aware that 16% of all adult fatalities in England are caused by smoking related diseases? Where. Have. You. Been.

We know that smoking is a ridiculously addictive habit, which is why funnily enough, e cigs were conceived in the first place. Designed to simulate the act of smoking and providing a delivery of nicotine to your bloodstream – heating e-liquid into a vaporised state at low temperature is in stark contrast to the thousands upon thousands of carcinogenic materials and carbon monoxide you inhale every time you light up.

Why not ditch the cigarettes this April and try taking the Vapril challenge? Switch on to a Vaping plan by simply heading to the Vapril website and get some great advice on how to get your vaping adventure started with 4 simple steps to follow to help you become smoke-free.

Easier than you might think, all you’ll need is a simple Starter Sampler Pack which will include a rechargeable battery, USB charger and a choice of flavoured e-liquid cartridges. Hey presto, you’re good to go!

Seeking expert advice

Deciding to vape for the first time doesn’t need to be a big deal, but it’s feasible that you will have the odd question or two. “What kind of vaporiser should I use?” “Does it matter where I get my e-liquid from?” “I’ve got all the gear and genuinely know idea”.

All valid enquiries that can be addressed at the ever so informative Expert Advice section of the Vapril website.

Good luck and happy Vapril.

The experience you have when you vape will generally be down to two things. One – how decent your e cigarette device is. And two the quality of the e-liquid that you are actually vaping. Let’s take a look at the latter and the importance of buying the best e-liquid you can.

How Do You Know What Quality E-Liquid Is?

We’ve all been there. The sight of a new, colourful e liquid on display at your local shop vying for vaping attention. ‘On Sale’ you notice. ‘Introductory Offer!’ it says emblazoned on the neon sign. ’10 for the price of 1’.

The appealing affordability of the cheap e-liquid at hand might seem like a tempting one. Though it’s important to tread with a little caution if you don’t want to be caught left with a nasty tasting e-liquid.

The rise in popularity of vaping and the lucrative market that it yields has led to some nuisance purveyors trying to get a slice of the action. This leads to choosing to use cheaper, synthetic ingredients to create e juice that isn’t that ‘juicy’.

Leaving a somewhat sinister aftertaste, cheap e-liquids might not be what you’re looking to quit stop smoking and seeking a pleasurable vaping experience.

Ultimately you should source your e-liquid from a well-established, reputable seller who has garnered a host of glowing reviews by real customers.

Look for flavourings derived from natural ingredients that have been suitably tested. Those with nothing to hide will be happy to share with you the ingredients that you can then research yourself.

Should they be a reputable and honest seller, they will follow the Tobacco Products Directive regulations. This will cover all things ingredients and testing before those products becoming available to you the consumer.

Consistent Flavours

When you smoked cigarettes, the consistency of the flavour of your tobacco was never really in question. You would light up, and it would taste the same every time.

Buying cheap imitation e-liquids, more than likely manufactured with cheap ingredients – is never a good start.

The likelihood that you might not always get the same flavour when you vape is also high when you go down that route. Besides, how do you know what’s in it?

By buying e-liquid made from the best possible ingredients you’ll stand a better chance of enjoying a consistent flavour profile every time you vape.

Enjoying the experience and flavour of your vape is key to you remaining smoke-free. Even if it might cost a little more than the e juice found at the petrol station at the end of your road.

A poor quality e-liquid made with cheap ingredients will only result in a nasty aftertaste that may just put you off the idea of vaping altogether.

You Are What You Vape

The annoying sound of your parents declaring “you are what you eat” as you tuck into your fourth bowl of ice cream. These may be the words you used to loathe, but to an extent they were right. From late brunch to a liquid lunch, what we consume naturally plays a significant role in our functions.

Eat too much sugar and you’re prone to diabetes, too much dairy can create dairy intolerances, and too much of anything will have its own set of ensuing consequences.

Vaping e-liquid is 95% less harmful than smoking. However, the technology and use of e cigs simply haven’t been around long. Certainly not long enough for scientists to observe any potential long-term damage.

Avoid e liquids with lengthy lists of synthetic ingredients and ensure the e-liquid you use is fit for your consumption.

A hot topic of discussion this week has seen the United States Food and Drug Administration (F.D.A) seek to impose an imminent ban on the sale of flavoured e-cigarettes and e-liquids. Why? Let’s find out.

 

Combatting Youth E-cigarette Usage

In an unprecedented move that has the potential to significantly impact the e-cigarette industry in the US, predictions suggest that flavoured e-cigarettes and e-liquids are to come under some tight restrictions due to what some are calling an e-cigarette epidemic among the kids of America. Sales of flavoured e-liquids, that some say contribute to the desire among the young to try e-cigarettes, are set to be banned from thousands of store across the country as well as online verification requests for online sales.

In 2018, it was estimated that there were some 3.5 million underage vapers in the US. When you take into consideration that there are just 3.2 million vapers in the UK, the US figure of young vapers seems worthy to warrant the attributed attention, but is a ban on flavoured e-liquid and e-cigarettes a step too far?

Naturally, a consideration to be made first and foremost is how are kids getting hold of e-cigarettes in the first place? Could stricter bans on underage selling be enforced to those licensed to sell e-cigarettes? Could shopkeepers impose a more rigorous line of questioning when it comes to knowing their customer’s age? Can common sense prevail?

 

The Problem with Banning Flavoured E-liquid

In a classic case of one step forward, two steps back, there lies a fairly fundamental error of judgement should the FDA move forward with their plans to ban flavoured e-liquids. Youth culture aside, adult smokers who are genuinely looking to quit cigarettes and use e-cigarettes, flavoured e-liquids and all, to abate their addictions will ultimately be missing out on products aimed at helping them.

 

The Sugar Content in Cigarettes

The addiction to cigarettes is at a bare minimum two-fold; in addition to nicotine, what you might not know is that cigarettes contain roughly half a teaspoon of sugar (20%) which means that when you quit smoking, you endure the unfortunate experience of withdrawing from both substances – fun times.

Indeed, the high sugar content of cigarettes bears the initial premise and thinking behind flavoured e-cigarettes. Fruity concoctions act to aid your withdrawal and to curb your cravings for sugar which in the past, would so often be remedied with a trip to the naughty aisle of their local supermarket, which would then subsequently lead to unwelcome weight gain. Flavoured e-liquids go some way to allay those cravings and should be seen as a contributing factor to encourage more people to ditch the cigarettes and make the move to vaping.

In the UK, Public Health England declares that e-cigarettes are up to 95% less harmful than tobacco and have the potential to help smokers quit. In addition, the UK is second only to Sweden in number of cigarettes smokers, with e-cigarettes playing its part in the continuing drive to reduce the rates of smokers.

Can you overcome the mental barriers to quitting?

Quitting smoking can be extremely difficult. This is in large part because of the addictive nature of nicotine. But it is also because smoking is a major psychological addiction. This means that part of the solution needs to be psychological as well. To ensure that you give yourself the best chance of success, here are our 5 Steps to use your mind to help you stop smoking.

Step 1: Do Your Research

Take some time to thoroughly research the effects of smoking on your health. Talk to your doctor, read support articles, or watch some videos There are some very good smoke-free videos about the harm caused by smoking on the NHS YT channel. This may not be pleasant to do, but it’s important to be informed about the effects your smoking has on your body. Being fully aware of these effects may make you more resolved to quit.

Next, spend some time researching the positive effects of quitting. Quitting smoking can almost immediately lower your risk for many health issues. Remember that there’s a lot of hope for improving your long-term health, and use this as motivation.

Step 2: Reflect

You should also spend some time focusing your attention inwards. Why do you want to quit smoking? Maybe you’ve noticed some negative changes in your health and want to change that. Maybe you have fitness goals that will only be possible without smoking. Maybe you want to do it for your children or other loved ones.

Think about these important reasons, and write them down. You can also write down how you expect your life to improve after quitting; what do you expect to get out of a life without cigarettes? If you feel yourself caving after you quit, reread these reasons to give you some encouragement.

Step 3: Remove Triggers

Once you’ve decided to quit, spend a bit of time thinking about what causes you to smoke. Is it stress during work or after school? Or perhaps you smoke after meals. Do you find yourself smoking around particular friends or in specific social situations? If you can, once you’ve quit, remove yourself from these triggers as much as possible.

Supportive friends will understand if you need to change up your routine a little bit. This is also a good time to remove all smoking-related memorabilia from your home. Clean out packs of cigarettes, ash trays, lighters, and matches from your house, workplace, and car. You’re transforming your home and life from that of a smoker to that of a non-smoker.

Step 4: Substitute Positive Activities

Think of quitting as an opportunity to add something good for your life in place of smoking. This is a great time to pick up a new hobby or skill. Exercising on your own, swimming, or taking classes at a gym is a fantastic way to stay healthy and reduce stress levels.

You could also take on cooking classes or a creative hobby such as painting or crafting. All of these new activities will help you to move your life forward and give you something to do when you need to distract yourself from the craving for a cigarette.

Step 5: Keep things Simple

If you are looking to quit and are using a vape device as support make sure it is a simple and small device. To increase the chances of success you need to replace your cigarette habit using a similar sized device so that you minimise the psychological factors associated with smoking. Don’t go for some complicated oversized vaping mod with a plethora of options that will just feel awkward. There is significant information to suggest simplicity is the best way regarding moving forward with a vape device.