Study Proves E-cigarettes Help Smokers Quit

Study proves e-cigarettes help smokers quit

A recent study shows that e-cigarettes are not only effective in helping people quit smoking, but also more effective than smoking cessation products such as nicotine gum and patches. For years, vapers and non-vapers alike have wondered whether e-cigarettes can help smokers quit. Now, for the first time, a randomized long-term study in England shows that, as The New York Times outlines in this article, they actually do.

Given that tobacco use is directly responsible for nearly 6 million deaths worldwide each year, the results of this study are good news. That number is only expected to climb if current trends continue. E-cigarettes can effectively help smokers quit smoking because they not only provide nicotine (without the carcinogens in traditional cigarettes), but also satisfy the physiological habit of smoking.

However, marketing them as a smoking cessation tool remains illegal in many regions. This study may change that. That's because the main reason regulators and health professionals are hesitant to recommend e-cigarettes is the lack of evidence that they work. Considering the new evidence, the vaping community hopes that information about using vaping to quit smoking will reach more smokers around the world.

During the study, conducted between May 2015 and February 2018, some of the more than 800 participants were given starter kits containing the refillable device and tobacco-flavored e-liquid. Most of the smokers involved were middle-aged people who had tried to quit smoking in the past and smoked half a pack to one pack a day. When they run out of their original bottle of nicotine liquid, they are free to purchase whatever strength and flavor they choose.

Other subjects used nicotine replacement therapy instead of e-cigarettes. They are able to choose from a variety of products, including nicotine gum, patches, nasal sprays and lozenges. They're even free to combine them, and most of them do. The most popular combination is oral therapy plus a patch.

To confirm the results, the researchers measured the amount of carbon monoxide in the subjects' breath, a more reliable measure than self-reported smoking cessation. E-cigarettes are twice as successful as other nicotine treatments in helping smokers quit, research has found. Additionally, 80 percent of the vaping participants were still using e-cigarettes a year later, while only 9 percent of the other group were still using their nicotine replacement therapy of choice.

This may come as no surprise to anyone who has used e-cigarettes before. Vaping products offer a more smoking-like experience in several ways. First, vapers are free to decide when, where and how to vape, rather than the specific instructions that come with other nicotine remedies. In addition, e-cigarette users were more satisfied with vaping than another group of nicotine regimens. Vapers also appreciate the variety of flavors and devices available, as well as the strong social aspect of vaping.