Ecigs Aid Quit Attempts
Hard science proves the efficacy of electronic cigarettes as smoking cessation devices
-
by Dave Cross
Share on:
Misinformation that encapsulates so many issues vaping faces as it seeks to be accepted by public health bodies. One of the main ones is the reluctance to accept that almost every vaper on the planet either used electronic cigarettes to quit smoking or was an ex-smoker using them to prevent a return to smoking.
Two major pieces of research into the effectiveness of e-cigs to aid quit attempts have been released this month.
At the University of Massachusetts (UMass), Boston, researchers discovered that regular use of electronic cigarettes benefits smokers looking to quit.
Studying 695 smokers in Dallas, Fort Worth and Indianapolis the researchers discovered that intensive users of vaping products were six times more likely to quit successfully than non-users. An intensive user was defined as someone who vaped at least once a day for a month or longer.
"This study provides strong support for the potential harm-reducing value of electronic cigarettes, which allow smokers to get the nicotine they want without exposing themselves to the 4,000 toxic chemicals in tobacco cigarettes," said Lois Biener, the lead researcher.
Meanwhile, Professor Frank Baeyens from the University of Leuven conducted a long-term study into the effects of e-cigs on smoking cessation.
His Belgian team studied 48 smokers who expressed no desire to quit smoking. Splitting them into three groups, two were supplied with second-generation eGo-style devices (but allowed the choice whether to use them or not) and the third continued smoking cigarettes for the first two months of the study. After this stage they too were provided with eGo kits.
Over the first eight weeks the subjects took part in laboratory sessions before moving on to being monitored through questionnaires for the following six months.
The team found that after four hours abstinence from smoking an e-cig had the same effect as a cigarette in reducing nicotine cravings. The news confirms the ability of the e-cig to substitute cigarettes and was backed by amazing results. Over the testing period the group measured a 60% drop in rates of cigarette smoking plus almost half of the subjects (who didn’t want to quit) had ceased smoking.
Both studies add to the anecdotal evidence of so many vapers that electronic cigarettes help people quit, work better than other forms of NRT and act to keep people from returning to smoking.
“It shows that restrictions in availability of nicotine-containing liquids can have devastating effects by causing a relapse back to smoking or by preventing smokers from using effective electronic cigarette products,” said Konstantinos Farsalinos; highly relevant as e-liquid containing nicotine is banned from sale in Belgium.
Will these studies win over the likes of Ro Jordan? Maybe that isn’t the important thing, maybe spreading the findings to the smoking community is.
Dave Cross
Journalist at POTVDave is a freelance writer; with articles on music, motorbikes, football, pop-science, vaping and tobacco harm reduction in Sounds, Melody Maker, UBG, AWoL, Bike, When Saturday Comes, Vape News Magazine, and syndicated across the Johnston Press group. He was published in an anthology of “Greatest Football Writing”, but still believes this was a mistake. Dave contributes sketches to comedy shows and used to co-host a radio sketch show. He’s worked with numerous start-ups to develop content for their websites.
Join the discussion
Harm Reduction For The Rich
The United Kingdom risks becoming a harm reduction country only for the wealthy, according to Michael Landl of the World Vapers’ Alliance
-
by Dave Cross
Oz Ban Is Misguided
The Coalition of Asia Pacific Tobacco Harm Advocates says that Australia’s disposable vapes ban is “a puff in the wrong direction” and “misguided”
-
by Dave Cross
Cochrane Review Echoes Swedish Success
The Cochrane Review echoes the Swedish approach, finding less harmful alternatives like vaping are superior to other quit methods, says Smoke Free Sweden
-
by Dave Cross
A Manifesto for Smokefree Beginnings
The Smoking in Pregnancy Challenge Group has produced its fourth national report: “A Manifesto for Smokefree Beginnings”
-
by Dave Cross
