Key Points:
·Ten Boots pharmacies in Manchester, UK are trialing a service to help people quit e-cigarettes, including a 12-week plan and support with Nicorette products (Nicorette is a nicotine replacement therapy product primarily used to assist with smoking cessation).
·The service, launched in June 2025 and supported by Kenvue, comes as a ban on disposable e-cigarettes takes effect.
·A survey found that 58% of e-cigarette users in the area plan to quit, with 75% having tried to quit through sheer willpower.
·Organizations suggest shifting smoking cessation services to nicotine cessation services, with costs covered by a "polluter pays levy" from the tobacco industry.
【2Firsts News Flash】According to the Pharmaceutical Journal on July 9th, ten Boots pharmacy branches in Manchester, UK are testing a service aimed at helping people quit e-cigarettes and providing smoking cessation support.
The pilot project named "Stopping starts here", supported by Nicorette manufacturer Kenvue, was launched in June 2025. This comes after the government implemented a ban on disposable e-cigarettes on June 1, 2025.
Pharmacists at Boots participating in the pilot program have received additional training to support individuals in completing a 12-week smoking cessation or e-cigarette cessation plan. They offer one-on-one counseling, expert knowledge, and Nicorette products (Nicorette is a nicotine replacement therapy product primarily used for smoking cessation), including oral sprays, gum, inhalers, nasal sprays, lozenges, mini lozenges, and patches.
In response, a leading respiratory charity in the UK, Asthma + Lung UK, stated that all smoking cessation services should be transformed to include e-cigarettes in nicotine cessation programs.
The launch of this pilot project is based on a study that found that over half (58%) of e-cigarette users in Manchester plan to quit smoking, while 75% of e-cigarette users have only tried to quit smoking or e-cigarettes through willpower alone.
These findings come from a survey conducted in May 2025 by Perspectus Global on behalf of Nicorette, targeting 2,064 smokers or e-cigarette users, including 221 respondents from Manchester.
The Nordic Regional Manager of Kenvue, Bas Vorsteveld, expressed:
"With the ban on disposable e-cigarettes taking effect, many people will reassess their relationship with e-cigarettes."
He stated that the collaboration with Boots community pharmacy will "make it easier for smokers and e-cigarette users to access the help they need.
Regarding this pilot project, Laura Williamson, Senior Policy Officer at the British Asthma and Lung Association, commented:
"It's great to see these new services being introduced to support people in quitting smoking and e-cigarettes. While e-cigarettes are less harmful than smoking and can be an effective method for quitting, they are not harmless. More research is needed to understand the long-term effects of e-cigarettes, but they may lead to airway inflammation and lung diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, as reported by individuals with these conditions. People using e-cigarettes as a smoking cessation tool need support in overcoming nicotine addiction so they can fully quit e-cigarettes. We hope to see all smoking cessation services transition into nicotine cessation services to help people quit e-cigarettes at the right time. These services should be funded by a 'polluter pays levy' tax imposed on the tobacco industry, which continues to profit immensely from the harm it causes without facing consequences."
A spokesperson for Boots stated that they have not yet decided whether to launch similar projects in other regions.
According to reports, Boots is a large chain of pharmacies in the UK and Ireland, with over 2200 stores. It has stores in shopping centers, neighborhoods, and airports in both countries.
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