2015 - Shirley Cramer RSPH

Can e-cigarettes be the endgame for tobacco? Shirley Cramer, Chief Executive Royal Society for Public Health



What do e-cigarettes and cigarettes have in common?

Which of the following ingredients in a cigarette is harmful to health? Substance Net harm Tar 97% Arsenic 99% Nicotine 87% Sucrose 15% Caffeine 48%

In small doses? = Is fear over nicotine and e-cigarettes preventing people from switching to safer forms of nicotine?

Harm reduction ladder

Stopping smoking using safer sources of nicotine

Making smoking less convenient • Denormalising cigarette smoking • Introduction of smoking exclusion zones • Builds on ban on enclosed public places (2007), smoking in cares (2015) and echoes LHC report (2014)

Making e-cigarette use more accessible Mandatory sale of non- tobacco NCPs in all outlets selling combustible tobacco products

Making e-cigarette use more convenient Greater utilisation of e cigarettes by smoking cessation services

Is denicotinisation an option? Prohibition didn’t work, but is this prohibition? Smokers still free to smoke, but without the addictive substance driving behaviour

A glimpse into the future? Nicotine-free smokers • Reduction in smoking rates by 81.43% • All participants substantially increased their e-cigarette usage.