Nicotine e-cigarettes help four more people per 100 quit than patches or gum
Nicotine e-cigarettes are more effective at helping people quit smoking than many conventional methods, including nicotine gum and patches, behavioral support or no support at all, an updated Cochrane review finds.
Nicotine e-cigarettes prove to be more effective than conventional methods like patches, gum, or behavioral support in helping people quit smoking, finds an updated Cochrane review. Smoking, a leading cause of preventable death, causes over 7 million annual fatalities, including 1.6 million nonsmokers exposed to secondhand smoke.
The analysis, updated with 9 new trials, examined 80 randomized controlled trials involving 29,861 participants. It found that nicotine e-cigarettes increase quit rates by 4 per 100 people compared to nicotine replacement therapy, and by 2 per 100 compared to non-nicotine e-cigarettes. However, evidence for benefit vs behavioral support was less certain due to potential study bias.
Despite concerns about long-term effects, the review identified no increased serious harms from using e-cigarettes to quit, with no evidence of increased harm. However, many e-cigarettes available on the market do not meet regulatory standards, posing potential risks. The review emphasizes that e-cigarettes should only be obtained from reputable sources.
Health organizations caution about nicotine and other harmful chemicals in e-cigarettes, particularly for children and youth. While e-cigarettes are far less harmful than smoking, the authors suggest them as a transitional option for nicotine addiction before quitting altogether.
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