Pharmacy bodies have raised fresh concerns over e-cigarettes due to "out-of-control" advertising and the increased availability of the products at multiples.

The General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) responded to reports of some multiples stocking the products by stressing that pharmacists should "exercise their professional judgement" in the sale of e-cigarettes on Wednesday (February 19).

The regulator advised pharmacists to bear in mind guidance from the Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) and MHRA, both of which have refused to back e-cigarettes until they become licensed as medicines in 2016.

It also stressed that pharmacy teams should be able to explain risks and benefits of all smoking cessation products to customers, including nicotine replacement products that were proven to be safe and effective.

The GPhC has advised pharmacists to exercise their professional judgement on selling e-cigarettes	More on e-cigarettes Government set to ban e-cigarette sales to minors Pharmacists continue to stock e-cigarettes despite MHRA warnings E-cigarettes as effective as nicotine patches, NZ study concludes
	RPS director for Scotland Alex MacKinnon argued there was not enough evidence to establish "the risks versus the benefits" of e-cigarettes in an interview on BBC Radio Scotland on the same day. Until the products became licensed, there was no quality control and they could contain carcinogens, he warned.

"I'm sure in the long run they may prove safer than cigarettes but recent research... is starting to raise alarm bells," he stressed, adding that some had been found to contain ingredients such as magnesium and formaldehyde.

Mr MacKinnon argued against the advertising of e-cigarettes on TV, the internet and magazines, which he branded "out of control", until the products were established as safe. "From a Scottish perspective, this really starts to undermine our public health policy," he said.

"These adverts aren't just about substituting smoking tobacco with e-cigarettes. They're absolutely about targeting and promoting them to our youth as a glamorous lifestyle choice," Mr MacKinnon claimed.

British American Tobacco launched TV advertising for e-cigarettes on Monday (February 18), which will only be shown after the 9pm watershed.

Lloydspharmacy started stocking e-cigarette brand Vype last month. Louise Baglole, pharmacist and condition category manager at the multiple, said they had only stocked the brand once they were clear on its ingredients and manufacturing processes. Boots told C+D it was planning to sell e-cigarettes from Monday (February 24).

In June, pharmacy regulator the Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland "strongly recommended" that pharmacists didn't stock e-cigarettes.

Do you think pharmacies should stock e-cigarettes? Comment below or email us at [email protected] You can also find C+D on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook