Doctors in England would be the first in the world to adopt medically licensed vaping devices to save lives. Health Secretary Sajid Javid said: “This has the potential to tackle the stark disparities in smoking rates across the country.” Guidance setting out steps manufacturers must follow to submit products for approval are published today by The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.

If a vaping device is given the green light, doctors would then be able to decide whether a patient could benefit from a prescription.