Are e-cigarettes more addictive than tobacco?

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Tuba Saygin Avsar reviews a study on the perceived addiction of e-cigarettes, which used data from the International Tobacco Control Smoking and Vaping England Survey, to suggest that most UK vapers consider e-cigarettes less addictive than tobacco.

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E- cigarette use worldwide

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This review assessing the epidemiological profile of e-cigarette users worldwide included 43 studies from 28 countries. A majority (60% of studies were considered to be at low risk of bias. The findings provide prevalence estimates and suggest that the highest proportion of e-cigarette users was in the 18- to 24 age group.

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E-cigarettes vs nicotine patches: are either adequate to support pregnant smokers?

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In her debut blog, Tuba Saygın Avşar summarises a recent RCT, which finds that “E-cigarettes might help women who are pregnant to stop smoking, and their safety for use in pregnancy is similar to that of nicotine patches.”

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Adverse effects of E-cigarettes on head, neck, and oral cells

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Iris Vaid takes a look at this review of whether e-cigarettes have a negative impact on the cells in the head, neck, and mouth. 16 in-vitro studies showed that oral cells exposed to e-cigarettes showed aberrant cell morphology, reduced cell viability, and increased apoptosis and/or necrosis.

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Smoking cessation for people with severe mental illness? “Oh yes they can!” SCIMITAR+

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David Shiers and Peter Byrne summarise the new SCIMITAR+ trial out today in The Lancet Psychiatry, which evaluates a bespoke smoking cessation intervention for people with severe mental illness.

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Smoking bans and violence on mental health wards: what’s the link?

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John Baker isn’t convinced by the findings of a systematic review on smoking bans and violence in mental health settings, which concludes that the introduction of smoke-free policies generally do not lead to an increase in violence.

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Nicotine without smoke: new RCP report on e-cigarettes and tobacco harm reduction

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Debutant blogger and vaping activist Lorien Jollye presents a new tobacco harm reduction report from the Tobacco Advisory Group of the Royal College of Physicians.

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Smoking and chronic mental illness: what’s the best way to quit or cut down?

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Meg Fluharty considers the findings of a BMJ State of the Art review, which looks at the evidence for smoking cessation in people with chronic mental illness such as schizophrenia, unipolar depression, bipolar depression, anxiety disorders and PTSD.

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Are e-cigarettes a gateway to tobacco smoking in youth?

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Matt Field sets the record straight by providing a thoughtful and measured appraisal of the recent US cohort study linking e-cigarette use in young people with progression to regular tobacco smoking.

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“Admission to a secure unit is an opportunity to reduce smoking” says guidance

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In this blog, Caroline De Brún and André Tomlin look at new guidance from Public Health England, to help commissioners and service providers instigate smoking cessation programmes and smoke-free secure mental health units.

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