Should e-cigs be prescribed on the NHS?

Health officials have today given their backing to the use of e-cigarettes, claiming the devices are a “game changer in public health”.

Public Health England concludes that E-Cigs are significantly less harmful to health than tobacco and have the potential to help smokers quit smoking.

We want to offer smokers a “range of choices” to help them quit smoking for good, says Professor Kevin Fenton from Public Health England.

Speaking to 5 live Breakfast, he said by licencing and regulating e-cigarettes, the NHS could add them to the “tool kit” to help people give up smoking.

While stressing that e-cigarettes are not free from risk, PHE now believes that e-cigarettes “have the potential to make a significant contribution to the endgame for tobacco”.

“Smoking costs the NHS 2bn a year”, he said, adding that it is a major drain on the service.

What are your views? Should doctors be able to prescribe e-cigs? Have you successfully quit smoking using e-cigs?