E-Cigs in the News: NHS May Soon Pay for Your Vape

In what many are calling a 'landmark decision" and others are considering "a call to arms" The National Health Service has officially approved an electronic cigarette as a smoking cessation aid.

Not at all surprising is that the single e-cig that has 'passed muster' is produced by the British American Tobacco company, one of the worlds largest Big Tobacco companies.

I say, not surprising not as an indictment, but simply as an acknowledgment of the fact that receiving approval, as a medical device of any type, is an expensive proposition - it takes a company with very deep pockets to pull off.

To a great extent the move was prompted by the NHS's own study which was completed late last year in which it was concluded that two thirds of people who used vaping in conjunction with already approved smoking cessation aids were successful in quitting tobacco completely.

This number is way above the national success rate of only 1:5 who attempt to quit smoking by using the more traditional methods on their own.

Of course not everyone is ecstatic over this latest news.... The British Medical Association (BMA) is still highly cautious, when discussing the subject, sighting the relative newness of the technology and the lack of clinical trials as to its safety. 

Dr Tim Ballard of the Royal College of GPs was quoted as saying, "It would be unreasonable for the NHS to be asked to fund lifestyle choices for people", even though they already do in many other areas of concern.

All in all though, this should be seen as a sign that both 'the powers that be' and the electronic cigarette industry itself are maturing and are coming to grips with the fruitless power struggles that have plagued the industry almost from its inception.

Kudos to the NHS and British authorities in general for once again demonstrating common sense over the hysterics and the fear mongering that has beleaguered the e-cig industry in the UK, on the continent and in most other other locales.