Smokers need a medically-licensed vape as an aid to smoking cessation and as a safer alternative to cigarettes for those who are dependent on nicotine.
What is meant by a “medically-licensed vape”?
A vaping device or e-cigarette that meets the same standards as recognized medical devices such as an epinephrine auto-injector (“EpiPen”), an asthma inhaler or a naloxone nasal spray. These devices can all be prescribed by physicians, sold by pharmacies, and be covered by government or private health insurance plans. Currently, in countries where vaping products are legal, they are considered to be a consumer product, held to a lower safety standard than medical equipment and are not allowed to claim to have any health benefits.
Vaping can fulfil two different and distinct roles. It can be a smoking cessation product, used for a short time to allow a smoker to transition from smoking to not using nicotine in any form. This is analogous to the use of conventional nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) such as patches and gum. It can also be used as a long-term safer source of nicotine for users who are unable to quit, analogous to the use of methadone for opioid addicts. Ideally, a medical vape should be licensed for both purposes, but given a small degree of uncertainty about the long-term effects of vaping, the first option may be a more achievable goal for the short term.
John Oyston – Dr John’s Blog – 2022-07-23
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