A London borough will provide pregnant women free vapes to discourage them from smoking.
To assist parents save £2,000 annually on smoking, Lambeth Council will offer e-cigarettes as part of its “stop smoking” program.
According to the NHS website, little study has been undertaken on the safety of e-cigarettes and e-liquids during pregnancy, and it is unknown whether the vapor is detrimental to an unborn child.
Ben Kind, a Lambeth councilor, disclosed the specifics of the program in response to a query regarding the municipality’s efforts to combat child and family poverty.
According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Mr. Kind, a cabinet member for children and young people, wrote: ‘The council will shortly begin giving free vape goods as part of the stop smoking service to pregnant and/or young children’s caregiver smokers.
This is intended to improve the health of the family while saving each household roughly £2,000 each year.
It is estimated that more than 3,000 households in Lambeth live below the poverty line as a result of smoking, and a large proportion of these homes contain children.
A significant government-commissioned study conducted by King’s College London last month proved that vaping is not risk-free.
However, it was emphasized that the findings were “excellent news” for smokers, as vaping was shown to be “significantly less dangerous” than smoking.
Regarding the effects of vaping during pregnancy, the report stated that the research “remains insufficient.”
“Research is particularly needed on the effects of vaping on fetal development and pregnancy outcomes, including the consequences of transitioning from smoking to vaping during the perinatal phase,” it added.
The NHS website advises pregnant women to utilize authorized nicotine replacement therapy products, such as patches and gum, to quit smoking.
However, it adds, ‘But if you find using an e-cigarette beneficial for quitting and becoming smoke-free, it is significantly safer for you and your baby than continuing to smoke.’
Earlier this year, research from the Queen Mary University of London revealed that e-cigarettes are as safe as nicotine patches for pregnant women and may assist more women in quitting smoking.
A spokesperson for Lambeth Council, citing such evidence, stated, “Smoking during pregnancy is the leading risk factor for adverse delivery outcomes, including stillbirth, miscarriage, and premature birth.”
“We recognize that while it is optimal for pregnant smokers to quit smoking without continuing to use nicotine if this is challenging and they want to use e-cigarettes, it can assist them in quitting smoking”
However, Professor Andrew Bush from the National Heart & Lung Institute at Imperial College London stated that the council was “playing with fire.
He stated, “Electronic cigarettes have not been around for very long.”
We continue to learn about these topics. I would be quite concerned if this was yet another step toward legalizing electronic cigarettes.
I am confident that the council is acting in good faith; they are not in the coffers of e-cigarette producers.
“However, what are you advising ladies to inhale?” What is the security of these items?’
