Vapes help smokers quit more than nicotine patches and gum, Oxford research finds
People using vapes were 61% more likely to give up cigarettes than those who used other nicotine replacements
Vapes are a “proven and viable option” for people trying to quit smoking, according to an Oxford-led study.
The new Cochrane Review looked at 80 studies involving almost 30,000 people and found smokers were more likely to quit successfully using nicotine e-cigarettes than conventional nicotine replacement therapy such as patches or gum.
Six in every 100 people using nicotine replacement therapy successfully stopped smoking for at least six months, compared with around 10 in every 100 people using nicotine e-cigarettes.
Dr Nicola Lindson, lead author of the review, said: “It doesn't seem like a lot, but because of the health harms that are associated with smoking from a public health point of view, it is a really big win.”
Researchers say there could be several reasons why e-cigarettes appear to work better for some smokers.
Nicotine is delivered to the brain more quickly through an e-cigarette than through some other forms of nicotine replacement, making the experience more similar to smoking a traditional cigarette.
Dr Lindson also pointed to the behavioural and social aspects of smoking.
“The hand-to-mouth action is often something that people say is really important for them in terms of their smoking, something that they miss when they give up,” she said.
She added that vaping can also allow people to maintain some of the social routines associated with smoking, without continuing to smoke cigarettes.
The review also found that nicotine-containing e-cigarettes were more effective than e-cigarettes without nicotine at helping people to quit.
Dr Lindson stressed that vaping is not risk-free and the findings should not be interpreted as a recommendation for people who do not smoke to start vaping.
“We wouldn't ever say that people should use them who haven't smoked. However, they are much safer than smoking cigarettes," she said.
She said the findings could give smokers who have struggled to quit another option to consider.
Dr Lindson also encouraged smokers to seek support when trying to quit, rather than attempting to do it without help.
She said most people who try to stop smoking do so without any support, despite how difficult nicotine addiction and withdrawal can be.
“There are local stop smoking services that can help people with that completely free of charge,” she said.
Those services can help smokers consider a range of options, including nicotine vapes, nicotine replacement therapy and other stop-smoking medications.
Dr Lindson said trained advisers can also help people identify what they get from smoking and find ways to replace those habits during the most difficult stages of a quit attempt.
“If this offers them a new opportunity and a new reason to maybe try to quit again, then that's really good,” she said.