Will you stock e-cigarettes?
P3 Pharmacy,
1 Min
P3 Business Group
Will you stock e-cigarettes?
P3 Pharmacy,
1 Min
In P3 Business Group
Bookmark
Record learning outcomes
The P3 Business Group: pharmacists discuss current issues and views.
This time: Should pharmacists recommend e-cigarettes to customers?
'It's possibly the lesser of two devils'
From the information available, e-cigarettes are possibly the lesser of two ‘devils’ and stocking these gives an opportunity to engage with the patient in a smoking cessation clinic. Supermarket pharmacists have stocked both the devils (along with alcohol) for years, so why is there suddenly a surge of interest when other pharmacists want to join in?
Salim Jetha, Avicenna
'Not until they are licensed'
I won’t consider this until there is a licensed product and they are evidenced as an aid to quitting rather than an alternative addiction to smoking cigarettes. I do not agree with the excuse of stocking to target users for ‘help’ – we don’t stock whisky to target alcoholism or street drugs to promote drug misuse services.
Linda Bracewell, Baxenden Pharmacy, Accrington
'Do they think they have stopped smoking?'
We don’t stock them and await licensing. People who are not interested in quitting or not ready for the change kid themselves by using e-cigarettes and thinking they have stopped smoking.
Bipin Patel, Broadway Pharmacy, BexleyheathÂ
'Stock, no, and recommend, no'
As an independent, I would have to go by the guidance of my governing body and maintain my professionalism. The answer is therefore two ‘no’s!
Nitin Shah, Fulham Pharmacy, LondonÂ
'E-cigarettes do have a role to play in quitting'
There should be more regulation over the sale of e-cigarettes, which should be restricted to pharmacies. But yes, they do have a role to play in quitting smoking as another device.
Sunil Chopra, The Village Pharmacy, Swanley
'People need an informed choice'
Currently, e-cigarettes are being singled out almost as a standalone alternative to conventional NRT products. Some training guides are recommending that pharmacy staff should avoid mentioning them all together unless provoked by a customer. Whether it be at government level, or pharmacy level, a unanimous decision on the role and effectiveness of e-cigarettes is the key to giving customers an informed choice on the subject of quitting smoking.
Joseph Rogers, Lloydspharmacy, Seaton, DevonÂ
'E-cigarette users are potential quitters'
We currently do stock e-cigarettes. Now a healthy living pharmacy, we have run a smoking cessation service for more than 10 years. Actually we found that another health tool was required by many people who didn’t want NRT or Champix, and rather than simply turning customers away we decided to stock them. We deliver health advice with each purchase and use the engagement as a tool for other health benefit changes. These new innovations may not be ‘healthy’, but I’d say that the 1.5 million UK users of e-cigarettes are all potential quitters.
Al Patel, Lee Pharmacy, LondonÂ
Copy Link
Record my learning outcomes
Save for later
P3 Business Group
In P3 Business Group