Two recent surveys of practicing physicians show similar results :

· Fifty percent of the smokers in these doctors’ practices are asking about electronic cigarettes.

· One out of three doctors are recommending electronic cigarettes for their patients who smoke.

While public health authorities and regulators are struggling with the policy issues with a special concern regarding electronic cigarettes and young people, adult smokers are following a harm reduction strategy with their doctors, or on their own.

We need to find ways to adapt the standard approaches to smoking cessation counselling to include quitting with electronic cigarettes as well as harm reduction interventions.

Steinberg MB, Giovenco DP, Delnevo CD. Patient–physician communication regarding electronic cigarettes. Preventive Medicine Reports. 2015;2:96-98.

Kandra KL, Ranney LM, Lee JG, Goldstein AO. Physicians’ attitudes and use of E-cigarettes as cessation devices, North Carolina, 2013. 2014. e104632.