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What doctors should consider before prescribing e‐liquids for e‐cigarettes

Miranda P Ween, David G Chapman and Alexander N Larcombe
Med J Aust 2022; 216 (1): . || doi: 10.5694/mja2.51351
Published online: 29 November 2021

An Australian standard for prescribing e‐cigarette nicotine has arrived — are you prepared with the facts?

Various nicotine replacement therapies (NRTs) have been approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) as safe and effective smoking cessation aids. However, many smokers are now turning to electronic cigarettes (e‐cigarettes) to reduce their tobacco consumption, even though there is a lack of clear, unbiased data on whether, and how effectively, e‐cigarettes aid tobacco smoking cessation.1 There is also growing evidence that they may cause harm.2 Emerging evidence shows concurrent use of tobacco cigarettes and e‐cigarettes may be worse than either just smoking or just vaping, particularly for cardiovascular health.2


  • 1 Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, SA
  • 2 University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA
  • 3 Royal North Shore Hospital, Sydney, NSW
  • 4 University of TechnologySydney, Sydney, NSW
  • 5 Telethon Kids Institute, Perth, WA
  • 6 Curtin University, Perth, WA



Competing interests:

No relevant disclosures.

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