A new review by Cochrane, a globally recognized independent medical research organization, has provided strong evidence supporting the effectiveness of nicotine vaping as a smoking cessation tool. The comprehensive analysis, which reviewed 90 studies involving over 29,000 adult smokers across the United States, the United Kingdom, and Italy, has found that nicotine e-cigarettes are more effective at helping people quit smoking than traditional nicotine replacement therapy (NRT). The review included data from studies published up until February 2024.
The findings from Cochrane’s latest “Electronic cigarettes for smoking cessation” review indicate that individuals who use nicotine e-cigarettes are significantly more likely to quit smoking for at least six months compared to those who rely on nicotine replacement therapies such as patches, gums, and lozenges. Specifically, data from seven studies involving 2,544 participants showed that nicotine vaping had a higher success rate than NRT. Additionally, in comparisons between nicotine e-cigarettes and non-nicotine e-cigarettes, six studies with 1,613 participants suggested that the presence of nicotine plays a crucial role in increasing quit rates.
Furthermore, the review analysed the effects of nicotine e-cigarettes versus no support or behavioural support alone. Findings from 11 studies involving 6,819 individuals suggested that nicotine e-cigarettes may help more people quit smoking compared to receiving no assistance at all. To put the effectiveness into perspective, for every 100 individuals using nicotine e-cigarettes to quit smoking, approximately 8 to 10 were successful. This is in contrast to 6 out of 100 who succeeded using nicotine replacement therapy, 7 out of 100 using e-cigarettes without nicotine, and just 4 out of 100 who had no support or received only behavioural counselling.
While the benefits of nicotine e-cigarettes in smoking cessation were clear, the review also examined potential adverse effects. The most commonly reported side effects included throat or mouth irritation, headache, cough, and nausea. However, these effects were found to be similar to those experienced by individuals using nicotine replacement therapy. Importantly, researchers noted that these symptoms tended to diminish over time as individuals continued using nicotine e-cigarettes.
The authors of the study concluded that there is “high-certainty evidence” that nicotine e-cigarettes are more effective than NRT and “moderate-certainty evidence” that they work better than e-cigarettes without nicotine. They emphasized that nicotine e-cigarettes can aid smokers in quitting for at least six months and likely outperform both nicotine-free alternatives and behavioural support alone.
However, the researchers also pointed out the need for further studies, particularly on newer-generation e-cigarettes that deliver nicotine more efficiently than earlier models. Enhanced nicotine delivery could potentially improve quit rates even further, making vaping an increasingly viable alternative for smokers looking to break free from tobacco addiction.
This latest research adds to the growing body of evidence suggesting that nicotine e-cigarettes are a valuable tool in the fight against smoking, offering an alternative method with potentially higher success rates than traditional nicotine replacement therapies.
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