That e-cigarette (Battery-powered vapourisers) are a gateway to smoking lit tobacco, either by non-smoking adults or never-smoking children and young people.

Update 2015-01-11

I asked for evidence. I was fobbed off with a waffling, random mixture of evidence-free opinion. It remains to be seen whether ADPH are aware that the ONLY study that has looked at this specific issue (rather than making assumptions or conflating e-cigarette use among existing smokers) did not give the answers that e-cigarette opponents were perhaps hoping for. Details of that study are available here: http://tobaccoanalysis.blogspot.ro/2014/12/new-study-refutes-claim-that-electronic.html

Here is the reply from ADPH:

Dear Dan,

Thank you for your email concerning the use of nicotine vapourisers and associated products.
ADPH is currently considering the emerging evidence on the impact of nicotine vapourisers, and we are cognisant of arguments for the potential impact of nicotine vapourisers as a means of quitting or reducing harm by substituting for conventional tobacco products. However, we believe that more research is needed to establish clear evidence of safety and their long term impact on health – as well as on wider questions relating to re-normalisation of smoking behaviour, and the impact on young people of product development, advertising and marketing.
As you will be aware, there are concerns that the marketing of nicotine vapourisers and their widespread use in enclosed public spaces will undermine the successful efforts which have been made to de-normalise smoking behaviour. As such, on-going surveillance is required to assess whether nicotine vapourisers and associated products may act as a gateway product to the use of tobacco and nicotine addiction for ex-smokers and never smokers. Until the evidence is clearer we believe that the precautionary principle ought to apply.
We are working in collaboration with other Public Health organisations to support the development of evidence based approaches to nicotine vapourisers.
Our interim position statement on nicotine vapourisers and associated products summarises the collective views from a survey of our members and we will continue to canvass the views of our members and to review our policy position during 2015 – both in the light of further research and evidence, and in response to product development.

Best wishes
Julia



Julia Ellis
Policy Manager
Association of Directors of Public Health

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