An interesting study was published here in Ireland yesterday.

It is interesting on several levels.

E-cigarettes likely to increase number of smokers who quit.

So they seem to be saying that electrofags might have some benefits after all?  They seem to be admitting that electrofags aren’t a gateway to crack cocaine and might actually be “safer” than ordinary cigarettes?  They could actually be saying that there is a place in the world for electronic devices despite all their friends across the Atlantic saying precisely the opposite?  Their friends in Big Pharma can’t be too happy today.

“Hiqa’s analysis shows that increased uptake of e-cigarettes as an aid to quitting would increase the number of people who successfully quit compared with the existing situation in Ireland, and would be cost-effective provided that the currently available evidence on their effectiveness is confirmed by further studies.”

Ah yes.  Further studies.  Give us more money?

The report found that the most cost-effective quit strategy is to maximise the combined use of the drug varenicline and nicotine replacement therapy (NRT).

Ah.  So while e-cigarettes might have some benefits, the best path is still Varenicline and NRT.

From Drugs.com –

Varenicline

Brand Name: Chantix

Serious mental or mood problems (including depression, suicidal thoughts, suicidal attempts) and completed suicides have been reported in patients taking varenicline.

Right!  So they worry about possible side effects of electronic cigarettes that may occur some time in the dim distant future and therefore are reluctant to recommend them completely, and then go on to say that by the best treatment is to take a drug with a known side effect of causing suicides.  In other words, it’s better to drive you to suicide now in case you might develop a cough in forty years time?  Do I detect just a little twinge of hypocrisy here?

For some reason they announce that the overall cost of smoking cessation in Ireland is estimated to be over €40 million annually.  I’m not sure why they tell us this.  Are we supposed to be shocked when they are the ones spending most of it?  To put this into context, Ireland is going through a major crisis at the moment on two fronts – the number of homeless [running into the thousands] and the fact that our Health Service cannot cope with the fact that it’s winter and so the Emergency Departments have almost ground to a standstill through lack of staff and beds.  I may be a little naïve here, but surely €40 million could do a little to help this far more pressing situation?

So here is my suggestion to the Health Information and Quality Authority.

If you want a drop of cost effectiveness, just drop the entire fucking smoking cessation farce.  Scrap those money sucking fake charities and release those tens of millions for those who really need it – the sick and the homeless.

And to save another million or two, I won’t even charge for that advice.