More guidance needed for smokers using e-cigarettes

Smokers were generally negative in their reaction towards e-cigarettes, possibly due to the widely documented uncertainties about safety and effectiveness. Researchers at the University of Liverpool have shown that more than half of smokers using the Stop Smoking Service on Merseyside have tried electronic cigarettes, despite many reporting uncertainly about thier safety and effectiveness. The study highlighted that users of products not available through official services, should be encouraged to seek reliable information and guidance about interventions they are using to stop smoking. Researchers quizzed more than 320 smokers from the Roy Castle 'FagEnds' study to understand what smokers thought about the e-cigarettes and how many people were using them over more traditional products offered by 'stop smoking' services. Better education Despite more than half of participants using e-cigarettes, smokers were generally negative in their reaction towards them, possibly due to the widely documented uncertainties about safety and effectiveness in helping smokers to successfully break their addiction. Some also viewed using e-cigarettes as an extension of smoking and perceived them as an inferior tool for helping to quit smoking. Additionally, some participants were misinformed of or misunderstood the risks associated with e-cigarettes.