Similarly, his book “Stop Smoking Start Vaping” aims to set the record straight about vaping and how it can be used effectively as a smoking cessation tool. Last week Mendelsohn informed Vaping Post that he has made the book available as a free e-book downloadable from his website. He highlighted that he would like as many smokers and vapers as possible to know about and have access to it.
The physician explained that one of the main aims of the book is to reveal the inaccuracies circulating about vaping. “The media is overrun with alarming misinformation and scaremongering about vaping. The book dispels the myths and outlines the evidence in an easy-to-read and authoritative manner with over 400 scientific references. It also provides step-by-step advice on how to make the switch from smoking tobacco, and why vaping is controversial.”
The book which is endorsed by leading experts in the field including Professors John Britton, Peter Hajek, Neal Benowitz, Riccardo Polosa, Hayden McRobbie and Wayne Hall, is split in three parts, explained Mendelsohn.
“Part 1 explains what vaping is and the scientific evidence that underpins it. Is it safer than smoking? What is popcorn lung? How harmful is nicotine? Is vaping an effective quitting aid? Is it legal in Australia?
Part 2 is a practical guide to getting started with vaping. What device should you buy, how much nicotine do you need, what are mouth-to-lung vaping and ‘nicotine salts’ and how do you vape safely.
Part 3 explores the controversies about vaping. Why is it opposed by most Australian health and medical authorities? What are the hidden reasons underpinning their objections? How should vaping be regulated in Australia and what can we do to accelerate the uptake of vaping?”
Mendelsohn addressed flawed article
Last year, Dr. Mendelsohn addressed an article on Medical Republic by Emeritus Professor Simon Chapman which criticized a review on vape studies. Titled, “Electronic cigarettes for smoking cessation,” the review included 78 completed studies, representing a total of 22,052 participants. Led by Dr. Jamie Hartmann-Boyce, associate professor at the University of Oxford’s Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences and editor at Cochrane Tobacco Review Group, the study authors concluded that there is clear evidence that nicotine-containing vaping products are more effective than traditional NRTs for smoking cessation.
“There is high‐certainty evidence that ECs with nicotine increase quit rates compared to NRT and moderate‐certainty evidence that they increase quit rates compared to ECs without nicotine. Evidence comparing nicotine EC with usual care/no treatment also suggests benefit, but is less certain.”
In response to this conclusion, Professor Chapman had referred to longitudinal studies from the US PATH cohort, suggesting very little benefits from vaping. In a blog on his page, Mendelsohn had explained in detail why Chapman’s arguments did not hold.
Largescale UK review reiterated the relative safety of vapes
In fact a massive review also conducted last year, had confirmed that the UK, which has long endorsed the use of ECs for smoking cessation, was leading the way with regards to the smoking cessation strategy it has in place.
Commissioned by the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities, the research was conducted at King’s College London. It found that vaping poses ‘a small fraction of the health risks of smoking’. It also concluded the use of vaping products in comparison to cigarettes led to a ‘substantial reduction’ in exposure to toxicants that promote cancer, lung disease, and cardiovascular disease.
Forty Experts Urge Australian Health Minister to Rethink Proposed Vape Restrictions
