To the Editor: As nicotine prescribers, we welcome much needed advice for doctors on prescribing nicotine. However, we disagree with several recommendations and concerns raised in the article by Ween and colleagues.1
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- 1. Ween MP, Chapman DG, Larcombe AN. What doctors should consider before prescribing e‐liquids for e‐cigarettes. Med J Aust 2022; 216: 14‐16. https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2022/216/1/what‐doctors‐should‐consider‐prescribing‐e‐liquids‐e‐cigarettes
- 2. Mendelsohn CP, Beaumont C. An update on vaping and nicotine prescribing. Aust J Gen Pract 2022; 51: 501‐507.
- 3. Blank MD, Pearson J, Cobb CO, et al. What factors reliably predict electronic cigarette nicotine delivery? Tob Control 2020; 29: 644‐651.
- 4. McNeill A, Brose LS, Calder R, et al. Evidence review of e‐cigarettes and heated tobacco products 2018. A report commissioned by Public Health England. London: Public Health England, 2018. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/684963/Evidence_review_of_e‐cigarettes_and_heated_tobacco_products_2018.pdf (viewed Aug 2022).
- 5. Foulds J, Veldheer S, Yingst J, et al. Development of a questionnaire for assessing dependence on electronic cigarettes among a large sample of ex‐smoking E‐cigarette users. Nicotine Tob Res 2015; 17: 186‐192.
- 6. Guillem K, Vouillac C, Azar MR, et al. Monoamine oxidase inhibition dramatically increases the motivation to self‐administer nicotine in rats. J Neurosci 2005; 25: 8593‐8600.
- 7. van der Toorn M, Koshibu K, Schlage WK, et al. Comparison of monoamine oxidase inhibition by cigarettes and modified risk tobacco products. Toxicol Rep 2019; 6: 1206‐1215.
- 8. Gades MS, Alcheva A, Riegelman AL, et al. The role of nicotine and flavor in the abuse potential and appeal of electronic cigarettes for adult current and former cigarette and electronic cigarette users: a systematic review. Nicotine Tob Res 2022; 24: 1332‐1343.
- 9. Friedman AS, Xu S. Associations of flavored e‐cigarette uptake with subsequent smoking initiation and cessation. JAMA Netw Open 2020; 3: e203826.
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Colin Mendelsohn has published a book on vaping nicotine, Stop smoking start vaping. He was the founding chairman of the Australian Tobacco Harm Reduction Association (ATHRA), a health promotion charity established to raise awareness of safer alternatives to smoking, but he stepped down from the Board in January 2021. ATHRA received funding from the vape industry to establish the charity. Funding was ceased in March 2019. He has not received any payments from electronic cigarette or tobacco companies. Carolyn Beaumont received an honorarium from the Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, for presenting at the Sydney Addiction Seminar on 4 November 2020. She also fully owns and controls the website www.medicalnicotine.com.au, from which she provides telehealth consults with patients over 18 years of age requiring smoking cessation assistance and, if appropriate, liquid nicotine for vaping for smoking cessation purposes only.