E-cigarettes a Legitimate Tool for Smoking Cessation: Study

An Australian research team has extracted data from the 2019 National Drug Strategy Household Survey and analyzed the relationship between 3,868 adult smokers in Australia who use e-cigarettes and smoking cessation. The conclusion drawn is that e-cigarettes are a legitimate smoking cessation tool for adult smokers.

A recent study suggests that daily smokers are more likely to reduce their cigarette intake and quit smoking altogether compared to those who do not use e-cigarettes. Smokers over the past year are also more likely to quit smoking. However, occasional reduction of e-cigarette use and quitting smoking show no significant difference from those who do not use e-cigarettes.

Despite Australia's hostile attitude towards electronic cigarettes, in 2020, the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) announced its recommendation to use nicotine-containing electronic cigarette products for smoking cessation.

In the latest update of the national smoking cessation guidelines, general practitioners have stated that they have been conducting thorough reviews of the effectiveness and safety of e-cigarettes and have concluded that they are a legitimate cessation aid for adult smokers.

Last year, the recommendation to continue banning the importation of any nicotine-containing e-cigarette oil by Australian Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt was overlooked. Several months later, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) announced their final decision: "Importing nicotine e-cigarettes requires a doctor's prescription.

As of October 2021, Australia only allows the purchase of e-cigarette products from pharmacies through a prescription. While neighboring New Zealand and most other countries allow retailers to sell nicotine products over-the-counter, anyone found violating Australia's strict regulations will face hefty fines and, in some cases, even imprisonment.

A spokesperson for the TGA explained that such criminal offenses could result in civil penalties and fines, with individuals facing a maximum fine of 5,000 penalty units, equating to a maximum of $111,000, and companies facing a maximum fine of 50,000 penalty units, equating to a maximum of $11.1 million.

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