NEWS
E-CIGARETTES
TWICE AS
EFFECTIVE AS
NICOTINE PATCHES
OR GUM.
A landmark study demonstrates
the key role vaping plays in
smoking cessation
BY GORDON STRIBLING
Smokers are twice as likely to successfully
quit with e-cigarettes than with nicotine
patches or gum, according to a new study.
The randomised controlled trial was the first of its kind
to compare traditional nicotine-replacement therapy
(NRT) with e-cigarettes, which are not licensed
medicines.
By the end of the year, 18 percent of the e-cigarette
users had successfully quit smoking, compared to 10
percent of the NRT group.
All participants were also given behavioural support.
Professor Peter Hajek from Queen Mary University of
London who led the study said:
“Although a large number of smokers report that
they have quit smoking successfully with the help of
e-cigarettes, health professionals have been reluctant
to recommend their use because of the lack of clear
evidence from randomised controlled trials. This is
now likely to change.”
The NRT group were more irritable, found it harder to
concentrate and reported more incidence of nausea
than the e-cigarette group.
By the end of the year, 80 percent of the e-cigarette
users were still vaping and only eight percent of the
other group were still using NRT products.
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“The research indicates that health
professionals and stop smoking services
should reach out to smokers who want
to use e-cigarettes and support them in
making this life-changing step”
Professor Hajeck said that e-cigarettes are ‘unlikely to
be totally safe’ and if long-term risk was generated, it
would be better to not use anything at all.
“Now the positive aspect is that we know from studies
of nicotine replacement therapy that some heavy
smokers need that crutch for longer to protect them
from relapse.
“They will get quite a bit of benefit in that they will
avoid feeling miserable and having urges to smoke
and feeling there is something missing in their life and
they will not put on weight, which these type of heavy
smokers do, which puts them at risk of diabetes and
so on.”
Ann McNeill, Professor of Tobacco Addiction at Kings
College London said:
“Smokers trying to quit have been choosing
e-cigarettes over other types of support for some time.
The research indicates that health professionals and
stop smoking services should reach out to smokers
who want to use e-cigarettes and support them in
making this life-changing step.”