Nic Patches Added To Our Pbs

[gmf1]

The Aus government is spending 60mil to add nic patches to the pharma benefit scheme taking there cost from $140/month to $6/month, e-cigs still banned...

"We estimate around 70,000 people a year will give up smoking because of this new subsidy," Ms Roxon told reporters. Ms Roxon banned e-cigs btw, 70,000 people for 60 mil! how about you un-bann ecig sales and have that number x10, for free!!!

http://www.theage.com.au/national/nicotine-patches-to-be-available-under-pbs-20101209-18qkk.html

[mcquinn]

I think that is a optimistic estimate.I could not get the patches to stick when I worked in the summer.And they inflamed my skin.The gum was nasty and the pills made me jittery.Vaping was my answer.

[mastiffmom]

I smoked while chewing the gum, I smoked while wearing the patch. I smoked on Zyban, no effect at all, and Chantix made me sick. Got my first ecig and I haven't had a single smoke, haven't even wanted one.

[thorne]

Tried everything.... Twice. Started vaping 9 days ago and haven't had 1 craving for an analog since. I know it's still early, but I consider PVs a great solution for many. Unless of course, you are a government legislating (and more importantly taxing) morality...

Edited February 1, 2011 by thorne

[mcquinn]

I think you hit it on the head ,they aren't getting a cut of the PV market and it is rubbing them the wrong way.

[Sinikal]

Moving topic to E-cig News thread

[juliery]

I smoked using all those products too....because I craved the "act" of smoking. All the patches, gum, lozenges,and pills on earth wouldn't get me to stop smoking, no matter how much someone spent and if they were provided at no cost....of course there is a cost, you just aren't actually paying it at a checkout. Another perfect example of a useless entitlement. What a waste of millions for the tiny percentage it will actually work with. I know individually you can't put a price on a saved life, but these methods are so ineffective. I wonder how much money the pharma industry spent to get that in place. Because of course the gov got some huge contract with supplier(s) of those patches. They would have better spent that money taking less of it and having lab tests done on e cigs, try to establish the "safety", and success, etc.

Oh and I too had problems with the adhesive. 3M is the biggest maker of the adhesives used in those products and I have an allergy to the adhesive used on the nic patches and also Duragesic (fentanyl....synthetic morphine product) patches.....had blisters not just where the patch was, but since the chemicals enter the bloodstream transdermally it spread all over the place and I ended up with a huge problem that took awhile to solve. AND it is incredibly uncomfortable to be covered in blisters and rashes caused by an allergic reaction...itched and burned like crazy!!!!

Anyway, another example of wasteful government spending. Isn't just our government, it is all of them. Wonder how many years and how much money will end up being wasted with this "program".