In Australia, psychiatrists are urging the government to lift the ban on electronic cigarettes. According to them, such a decision would allow patients with mental illnesses, many of whom are heavy smokers, to “benefit significantly” from a reduced risk alternative.
SMOKING REDUCES THE LIFE EXPECTANCY OF PATIENTS OF 20 YEARS IN RELATION TO THE GENERAL POPULATION
As part of a federal e-cigarette investigation, the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) took the opportunity to say that people with mental illnesses were even more concerned about smoking and even more likely to become heavy smokers actually reducing their life expectancy by 20 years compared to the general population.
For the RANZCP « Electronic cigarettes… make it possible to deliver nicotine with a reduced risk to those who fail to quit smoking, thus minimizing the harms associated with smoking effectively reducing some of the health disparities Adding " The RANZCP therefore supports a cautious approach that takes into account ... the significant health benefits that these products present."
And these statements are not to be taken lightly given that this is the first time that a specialized medical college or major health group has broken the ranks of the Australian medical fraternity which largely wants the ban on electronic cigarettes be maintained.
Professor David Castle, a RANZCP board member said current restrictions on smoking should not prevent people with mental illness from getting e-cigarettes even if it included a "warning". From studies, it is known that 70% of people with schizophrenia and 61% of people with bipolar disorder are smokers, compared to 16% of people without mental health problems.
PRESIDENT OF RANZCP ASSUMES POSITION ON ELECTRONIC CIGARETTE
Michael Moore, president of the Public Health Association of Australia, says this RANZCP request is not a major disruption. " It's not like we have banned cigarettes, they are available and legal, but there are restrictions, and we will be enacting similar restrictions for e-cigarettes." , did he declare.
« Scientific literature shows that the risk of cancer is drastically reduced with electronic cigarettes. Here we are talking about nicotine as a chemical released in the form of a vapor, so this is a very different scenario."
Le Dr. Colin Mendelsohn, of the University of New South Wales, which supports the e-cigarette, for its part thinks that the position of the RANZCP is "in contrast" with the "prohibitionist visionFrom the Australian Medical Association (AMA). According to him " WADA's position is a shame" , he declares : " I was embarrassed they ignored all the evidence as New Zealand and Canada reviewed the evidence and decided to legalize e-cigarettes"
Le Dr. Michael Gannon, president of the Australian Medical Association, for his part rejected Dr Mendelsohn's comment, saying that RANZCP had based its point of view on the specific needs of its patients. "WADA takes a more demographic view of population issues "He said adding" that there is a concern that a normalization of the vape will push the population towards smoking »
