Summary
Introduction:
This text is a summary of a study investigating the perception of community pharmacists regarding the use, safety, and effectiveness of e-cigarettes as quit smoking tools, and their future regulation. The study is important as community pharmacists play a significant role in the UK healthcare system, and their perceptions about e-cigarettes may influence uptake and support. The study was conducted in the Greater London area, and the response rate was 60%.
Key Points:
* The majority of participants (73%) sell e-cigarettes.
* A minority of participants (20%) have been presented with adverse effects such as cough and dry mouth.
* Pharmacists ranked 'aid in stop smoking' as the most important reason for e-cigarette use (56%).
* Safety issues were raised as 52% of respondents agreed with the statement 'e-liquid in cartridges may be toxic'.
* The majority of pharmacists (97%) were supportive of e-cigarettes being regulated.
* Participants indicated that they would require training in the form of information packs (88%), online tutorials (67%), and continuous professional development (CPD) workshops (43%) to cover safety, counselling, dosage instructions, adverse effects, and role in the smoking cessation care pathway in the future.
* Pharmacists expressed concerns about the safety of e-cigarettes, especially regarding the amounts of excipients and nicotine as these still remain unregulated.
* Currently, there are no guidelines for pharmacists regarding e-cigarettes. Community pharmacists look forward to regulations so to conduct their duties in a more confident and legislated fashion.
Main Message:
The main message of the study is that community pharmacists in the Greater London area are supportive of e-cigarette regulation and would like more training on e-cigarettes, their safety, and their role in smoking cessation. Pharmacists have concerns about the safety of e-cigarettes, especially regarding the amounts of excipients and nicotine as these still remain unregulated. Currently, there are no guidelines for pharmacists regarding e-cigarettes, and community pharmacists look forward to regulations so to conduct their duties in a more confident and legislated fashion.
Citation
Marques Gomes, Ana C N, Shereen Nabhani-Gebara, Reem Kayyali, Federico Buonocore, and Gianpiero Calabrese. “Survey of Community Pharmacists’ Perception of Electronic Cigarettes in London.” BMJ Open 6, no. 11 (November 2016): e013214. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2016-013214.
