This country is using e-cigarettes as a smoking cessation tool

The UK is a world leader in reducing tobacco harm. The local National Health Service in the UK has just announced guidelines on the steps that manufacturers must follow when submitting products for approval as a smoking cessation tool.

A recent graduation thesis clearly stated that countries and regions that follow WHO's smoking cessation guidelines have been trying to solve the rising smoking rate.

In October, the British Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency issued a guideline stating that any approved e-cigarette product will be approved for medical use as a prescription. Health Minister Sajid Javid said: "Whether it is our launch of the COVid-19 vaccine or our innovative public health measures to reduce people's risk of serious illness, this country is still a leader in the global healthcare field."

The World Electronic Cigarette Users Alliance (WVA) and WeVape recently praised the British government for adopting scientific methods to reduce the harm of tobacco to its ciitizens. Although the World Health Organization (WHO) does not promote the use of e-cigarettes as a substitute for tobacco, the UK has been a leader in reducing the harm of tobacco and local smoking rates through progressive e-cigarette policies. To this end, these groups, while praising the British approach, call on the British authorities to urge them to work hard to influence the position of the WHO.

“The UK is a world leader in harm reduction and provides a good example for other parts of the world to effectively quit smoking through e-cigarettes. Our government has chosen a path that has been proven to be effective and has scientific support. Before the WHO, In a meeting in November, the UK needs to strengthen its control of e-cigarettes and encourage other countries to do the same," said WeVape Director Mark Oates.

Regrettably, the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC), which was held last month, ignored all these data and became synonymous with a banned position that completely ignored the concept of tobacco harm reduction. To make matters worse, the WHO praises countries that have failed to achieve the smoke-free goal (such as India) but recognizes its framework and ideology, and criticizes countries that have achieved record low smoking rates but have not yet achieved it.

In response to this sentiment, a recent 59-page white paper discusses case studies in several countries, aimed at measuring progress related to smoking cessation, and clearly shows that countries that follow the World Health Organization’s guidance are struggling to cope with higher smoking rates.