UK health authorities pave the way for prescription-only stronger e-cigs

The UK’s Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is backing the idea of e-cigarettes as a licensed therapy, available on prescription from the National Health Service (NHS), for smokers who want to quit.

The MHRA’s updated “Guidance for licensing electronic cigarettes and other inhaled nicotine-containing products as medicines” suggests e-cigarettes may be made available for medicinal purposes in strengths and volumes greater than those currently permitted.