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Pharmacists should not minimise the harm reduction potential of nicotine delivery devices, a regional tobacco control adviser has said.

Louise Ross, a stop smoking manager at Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust, told delegates at the recent IPF conference in Birmingham that e-cigarette users were returning to smoking cessation services, reversing the recent fall in the number of people wanting to quit.

Her trust's stop smoking service was the first in the country to become 'e-cig friendly' in March and quit rates were on the rise. €Although we can't supply e-cigarettes, we have listened to the many people who want to change their smoking behaviour. E-cigarettes are becoming increasingly popular and we want to learn more about how effective they are in helping people stop smoking for good.€

However Ms Ross cautioned against licensing nicotine devices as medicines. €These are leisure products. Licensing would stifle innovation and choice, and make them less interesting to consumers.€

A strict licensing regime and the continuing opposition to e-cigarettes by many in the public health community risked quit rates dropping and more people smoking, as vapers would be discouraged from seeking stop smoking advice.