Nicotine E-cigarettes are More Effective than Traditional NRT

According to a report published on January 8 by Medical Xpress, a team of researchers led by Jamie Hartmann-Boyce, from the University of Massachusetts Amherst's School of Public Health and Health Sciences, has found that nicotine e-cigarettes are more effective than traditional nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) in aiding smoking cessation, as shown in the latest Cochrane review.

A study published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews suggests that e-cigarettes enable users to "vaporize" nicotine rather than inhaling it through combustion, making them more likely to aid in smoking cessation compared to traditional nicotine replacement therapies (NRT) such as patches, gum, and lozenges.

Hartmann-Boyes states, "In the UK, unlike anywhere else in the world, e-cigarettes are embraced by public health organizations as a tool to help reduce smoking-related harm." Prior to joining the University of Massachusetts Amherst, he conducted research at Oxford University in the UK.

Hartman-Bois points out that e-cigarettes do not burn tobacco, but instead heat up e-liquid containing nicotine and flavorings, allowing users to inhale nicotine-infused vapor rather than tobacco smoke. Compared to traditional tobacco, smokers are exposed to a complex mixture of chemicals known to cause diseases.

He stated, "We have very clear evidence to show that although e-cigarettes are not without risks, they are much less harmful compared to smoking." Some individuals who have previously attempted other smoking cessation methods without success have found that e-cigarettes help them quit smoking.

According to the analysis, the results show that for every 100 people who use nicotine e-cigarettes to quit smoking, it can be expected that 8 to 10 people will successfully quit. On the other hand, the success rate for using traditional nicotine replacement therapy is 6 out of 100 people. Meanwhile, the success rate for those who try to quit without any support or solely relying on behavioral support is 4 out of 100 people.

Despite the approval of seven proven smoking cessation drugs by the US FDA, e-cigarettes have not been included. Dr. Robert Califf, the agency's director, expressed that certain e-cigarettes may assist adults in completely transitioning away from or significantly reducing their use of more harmful combustible tobacco products. Public health standards need to balance potential benefits with the known risks of attractive and highly addictive products to adolescents.