Pharmacists are ignoring the Royal Pharmaceutical Society's (RPS) calls to stop selling e-cigarettes, C+D has learned.

Independents and multiples told C+D they had no intention of withdrawing the products from sale, despite the RPS advising the profession last week (February 24) to shun the products until they were licensed in 2016.

E-cigarettes should be treated in the same way as "any other form of smoking", the RPS said.

Banning e-cigarettes from pharmacies could push customers into the arms of general retailers, Numark managing director John D'Arcy said	More on e-cigarettes Public demand led decision to stock e-cigarettes, says Boots Don't stock e-cigarettes until they're licensed, says RPS E-cigarette advertising 'out of control', warns RPS
	Boots started stocking e-cigarettes on February 24 and Lloydspharmacy is continuing to sell the products, which were introduced into its branches in January. The Co-operative Pharmacy does not stock e-cigarettes, but told C+D its decision was "under review" as it evaluated the potential health benefits of the products.

Some independent pharmacies appeared equally reluctant to shun e-cigarettes altogether. Numark managing director John D'Arcy revealed many of its member pharmacies were selling e-cigarettes.

Although he admitted there were "commercial and professional" issues to consider, Mr D'Arcy warned pharmacists that they could be "turning their back" on a potential opportunity if they refused to stock the products. Banning them from pharmacies could push customers into the arms of general retailers, he added.

"If you're getting [e-cigarettes] from a pharmacy, then obviously you're getting somebody who can give you advice and support," he told C+D.

"Our view is there is a huge demand out there. Some people are using e-cigarettes as a means of transferring from ordinary cigarettes and that, on one level, has to be safer than smoking," Mr D'Arcy argued. "It seems to me that pharmacy has a place in this."

Rakesh Patel, manager of Mr Pickford's Pharmacy, Leicester, reiterated the point. His pharmacy sells one e-cigarette brand and he told C+D he would not withdraw the products on the back of RPS guidance. "To be honest, I don't have many patients who are using them. But those that are... would go elsewhere or might even go back to cigarettes," he stressed.

Mr Patel said he kept the products behind the counter to encourage a conversation about smoking cessation. "We're not promoting them or anything," he said. "They're the lesser of two evils at the moment."

An anonymous locum who works for Lloydspharmacy said she was initially against the multiple stocking e-cigarettes. But she told C+D she had used the opportunity to warn patients of the health risks and promote the benefits of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT). "A lot of people don't realise they can get NRT on prescription," she explained.

"I'm quite cautious when it comes to things like this and I would normally be swayed by the RPS, but I think they've got it a bit wrong this time," she added.

However, C+D readers appeared split on the guidance. Fifty nine per cent of 187 readers responding to an online poll last week said pharmacies should not stock e-cigarettes. The remaining 41 per cent were in favour of pharmacists selling the products.

The guidance was designed to "help support pharmacists to use their professional judgement" when making recommendations on smoking cessation products, the RPS told C+D this week (March 5).

"If people want to use NRT and pharmacists think this is a good choice to help them quit, then products licensed as medicines will be the safest, and pharmacists can recommend most evidence-based products," a spokesperson stressed.  

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