Nicotine vapes give smokers a better chance of quitting than traditional nicotine replacement therapies such as patches and gum, according to a major new Cochrane review published today.
The latest update to Cochrane’s ongoing systematic review examined 80 randomised controlled trials involving 29,861 participants, including nine trials added since the previous update.
It concluded that there is high-certainty evidence that nicotine e-cigarettes increase quit rates compared with nicotine replacement therapy (NRT).
In practical terms, the researchers estimate that using nicotine vapes results in around four additional people quitting smoking for every 100 compared with NRT such as patches and gum.
Nicotine vaping was also more effective than non-nicotine e-cigarettes, while the researchers found no evidence of an increase in serious adverse events among people using e-cigarettes to quit. They stress that longer-term research remains important and that vaping is not risk-free.
Dr Jamie Hartmann-Boyce, senior author of the review from University of Massachusetts Amherst, 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.
“It’s worth highlighting that our review looks at regulated e-cigarettes containing nicotine, but 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. 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.”
These findings arrive at a pivotal moment for vaping policy in the UK with Vaping Products Duty coming info force from October 1 and ongoing government consultations on measures including packaging, flavour descriptions and how vaping products are displayed in shops.
John Dunne, Director General of the UK Vaping Industry Association, said: “This is another major piece of independent evidence confirming that regulated vaping products can be an extremely effective way to quit cigarettes.
“At the very moment this evidence is getting stronger, the UK is preparing to make vaping more expensive through the Vaping Products Duty and considering further restrictions which could make regulated vaping products less distinctive from cigarettes and less attractive to adult smokers.
“Cochrane is explicit that these findings relate to regulated nicotine vapes which strengthens the case for properly enforcing the rules, driving rogue traders out of the market and protecting the responsible businesses supplying compliant products to adults.
“Regulation must not make it harder or more expensive for smokers to switch away from cigarettes.”
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