Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41949286›Full record

ArticleThe Australian journal of rural health2026

The Perceptions of Victorian Rural Community Pharmacists on the Dispensing and Supply of Vapes for Smoking Cessation and Nicotine Dependence: A Qualitative Study.

Eva BurtonClay-McMahon, Virginia Dickson-Swift, Richard Summers, Mwila Kabwe, Joseph Tucci

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in The Australian journal of rural health, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

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Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Eva BurtonClay-McMahonDepartment of Rural Clinical Sciences, La Trobe Rural Health School, La Trobe University, Bendigo, Victoria, Australia.
Virginia Dickson-SwiftViolet Vines Marshman Centre for Rural Health Research, La Trobe University, Bendigo, Victoria, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-7728-2101
Richard SummersDepartment of Rural Clinical Sciences, La Trobe Rural Health School, La Trobe University, Bendigo, Victoria, Australia.
Mwila KabweDepartment of Rural Clinical Sciences, La Trobe Rural Health School, La Trobe University, Bendigo, Victoria, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-6321-9080
Joseph TucciDepartment of Rural Clinical Sciences, La Trobe Rural Health School, La Trobe University, Bendigo, Victoria, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-4495-6931

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveTo investigate the perceptions of pharmacists in regional and rural Victoria in response to legislative changes stipulating that vapes for management of smoking cessation and nicotine dependence can only be sold at participating pharmacies.

settingRegional and rural locations in Victoria, Australia.

participantsFifteen registered pharmacists all currently working in rural community pharmacies, recruited through professional networks.

designA qualitative descriptive study utilising semi-structured interviews with pharmacists was undertaken between June and August 2025. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis was undertaken and supported by NVivo 15.

resultsThe interviews highlighted that while some pharmacists were clear about the supply of therapeutic vapes as part of their role in supporting smoking cessation and harm minimisation, some reported clinical, ethical and system-level concerns with supplying vapes. Others reported concerns for personal safety and liability and highlighted the impact that supplying vapes has on workflows within the pharmacy.

conclusionOverall, pharmacists expressed significant uncertainty and mixed views regarding the supply of therapeutic vapes in community pharmacy. Concerns centred on limited evidence, professional responsibility, regulatory clarity and workflow pressures. While some recognised potential harm-reduction benefits, greater consultation, clearer guidelines, stronger evidence and targeted education are needed to support safe and confident implementation.

Indexed as

Attitude of Health PersonnelCommunity Pharmacy ServicesElectronic Nicotine Delivery SystemsPharmacistsRural Health ServicesSmoking CessationTobacco Use DisorderAdultFemaleHumansInterviews as TopicMaleMiddle AgedProfessional RoleQualitative ResearchRural Population

Identifiers

PMID41949286
PMCPMC13060006

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.