The announcement that a new trial will see e-cigarettes given to smokers at A&E departments is welcome news here at Dinner Lady. We’ve long advocated for giving adult cigarette smokers the facts around vaping as a less harmful alternative, and this is the latest stage in support from health organisations, including Public Health England and Cancer Research UK, which backs up the messaging. In the trial, led by academics at the University of East Anglia (UEA), smokers will be given a device and enough e-liquid supplies to last a week, with referral to local stop smoking services and medical advice. Hospitals taking part include Edinburgh, Leicester, London and Norfolk. Although e-cigarettes are not available on the NHS, outside of trials, the service does support their use as a less harmful alternative to cigarettes. During the trial, which is due to start in the autumn, smokers attending A&E departments at the participating hospitals will either be given a vape starter kit and a referral for continuing support, or will simply receive a leaflet with details of local smoking cessation services. The trial will follow both groups for six months, to find out if participants are still smoking one, three and six months later. One of Dinner Lady’s trained Stop Smoking Practitioners Brian Watts welcomed the announcement, which came on the same day the latest Cochrane Review published its findings that nicotine e-cigarettes may help more people to stop smoking than no support or behavioural support only. “It is great news that UEA academics and the NHS are setting up this trial and opening more doors to smokers in need of an alternative to cigarettes,” Brian said. “The support in the UK for vaping as an alternative is world-leading, we’re looked upon as a progressive country in terms of supporting smokers towards a less harmful lifestyle, and this latest trial is further evidence of this approach. “I look forward to following its progress and reading the results in due course.”
