Vaping is 'viable' way to quit smoking and 'more effective' than nicotine gum and patches, experts find
Researchers found that while vapes are “unlikely to be completely risk-free”, they are “less harmful than smoking”
Vapes are "less harmful" than smoking and a "proven and viable" way of helping people quit cigarettes, experts have said.
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The findings are based on a review of 80 studies involving almost 30,000 people comparing e-cigarettes to other products designed to help people stop smoking.
Researchers found that while vapes are “unlikely to be completely risk-free”, they are “less harmful than smoking”.
Vapes were found to be more effective than other forms of nicotine substitutes such as gum or patches, with vaping leading to 61 per cent increased odds in a quit attempt being successful after six months.
Dr Nicola Lindson, lead author of the review based at the University of Oxford, said: “Quitting smoking is hard and a lot of people who smoke will have tried many times to quit smoking and been unsuccessful.
“For that reason, it is important that there are a number of different options available to help somebody quit, which could encourage them to keep trying.
“Although nicotine vapes are unlikely to be completely risk-free, they are less harmful than smoking and that is the most important comparison to make for people who are still smoking tobacco.”
Dr Jamie Hartmann-Boyce, senior author of the review from University of Massachusetts Amherst in the US, said: “We have very strong evidence that regulated nicotine e-cigarettes are substantially less harmful than smoking.
“Based on the consistency of the findings here, it’s clear that they are a proven and viable option for people wishing to quit traditional cigarettes.”
He emphasised that the review only examined regulated e-cigarettes, warning that "many of those available on the market do not meet these standards".
“Unlicensed e-cigarettes are potentially dangerous, with issues including unstable batteries and harmful chemicals.”
Dr Hartmann-Boyce added: “Anyone looking to use e-cigarettes to quit smoking should only purchase devices that have been tested and approved by their country’s regulatory body. Lists of regulated devices are available from the MHRA in the UK.”
Alizee Froguel, prevention policy manager at Cancer Research UK, which funded the study, said: “This review adds to the growing evidence that legal vapes are an effective tool to help people stop smoking.
“While we don’t know their long-term impact, evidence so far shows they are less harmful than tobacco.“Thanks to the world-leading Tobacco and Vapes Act becoming law, we are moving closer to a future free from the devastating harms of tobacco.
“Governments across the UK must implement the Act in full in every nation, alongside ensuring everyone can access a range of stop smoking support, including vapes.”