Electronic cigarette: doctors should not advise her to quit smoking

In his last notice published on January 4, 2022, the High Council of Public Health (HCSP) is aimed at health professionals and advises them not to offer smokers the alternative of electronic cigarettes in a process of smoking cessation. It was previously seen as an aid in stopping or reducing tobacco consumption.

“Evidence-based knowledge is insufficient to offer SEDEN (electronic nicotine delivery system) as a smoking cessation aid in the management of smokers by health professionals” specifies the opinion of the HCSP. They “must use drug treatments or not, having proven their effectiveness”, like patches and erasers, can one read in the document. Because “the potential benefits and risks of the medium or long term use of electronic cigarettes with or without nicotine, are not established to date”.

Delay the initiation of electronic cigarettes among young people

The document specifies, however, that these products “can be used by the population outside (or in addition to) care within the framework of the care system “. Indeed, “The absence of evidence-based knowledge does not exclude the possibility that the benefit / risk ratio of these products used outside the healthcare system may represent an aid for certain consumers and thus contribute to improving their health”. The organization considers in particular that the SEDENs can be used to reach audiences “vulnerable “ with strong nicotine dependence and who present “low adherence to validated treatments”.

The objective is also to slow down young people. “The relationship between initiation of SEDEN and initiation to tobacco is documented by cohort studies. The objective of delaying initiation and use of SEDEN in adolescents who do not use tobacco thus falls under the precautionary principle”, specifies the report, affirming the maintenance of the prohibition of sale to minors.