@StormFinch
No problem. Here's why I hold that opinion:
If you have terminal lung disease, continuing to inhale anything other than air is either going to have ether no effect on the outcome or may make it worse. It seems to me that the latter is more logical. I think it would be hard to argue against some people being affected negatively.
Yes, quitting smoking and moving to vaping will see improvements in lung function. But will those improvements be as great as ceasing inhalation of all materials?
Emphysema patients are at risk of contracting pneumonia. I can't see how e-cigarette use would help, and it may be a bad idea. We don't know, at this stage - so the safer option is to advise people not to use an e-cig. They can do what they like, but it seems to me a bad idea for ECF members to tell people with terminal lung disease they can keep on inhaling materials that are not specifically proven to benefit them.
It isn't just my opinion that e-cigarettes will be blamed when a smoker with terminal lung disease dies - it's already happened. We really don't want to exacerbate that situation.
If people can't quit then use Snus. Don't make e-cigarettes carry the can for killing people who are dying from smoking tobacco.
I don't see this as avoiding the issue in any way, even if we were not under threat of shutdown I would still tell a family member with terminal emphysema that they have a simple choice: extend your time, or carry on doing what you're doing and go out quicker. Use Snus if you want to stay around longer. That's my opinion.
ECF policy, though, will be that we should not encourage patients with emphysema to switch to vaping. They're going to die, possibly faster, and are going to implicate us in their death. By 'policy' I mean that no statements by staff and no documentation should diverge from that position. What members want to say is up to them. If you want to tell someone with a serious and irreversible lung disease that they are OK to vape - then go ahead, it's only your conscience you have to worry about.
I suppose to be absolutely realistic, such people don't have long anyway, so maybe it doesn't matter if they have two years or three. But maybe they should be told the choices without any confusion: (1) quit smoking and vaping, maximize your time left; (2) continue vaping, possibly reduce your time left; (3) quit smoking/vaping and use Snus, maximise your time left, with maybe some pangs from the lack of hand-to-mouth and instant nic hit. If it was me I'd go for #3. I think
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