Smokers seeking to quit have the highest chance of success if they use nicotine e-cigarettes, according to a new review. The Cochrane team analysed 80 major trials involving nearly 30,000 individuals, concluding that nicotine vapes were more effective than traditional aids such as patches, gum, and support plans.
The review indicates that nicotine vapes increased the success rate of quitting by about 60%, moving from approximately six in every 100 people managing to quit smoking to one in every 10. They also outperformed non-nicotine vapes, although researchers suggest switching to non-nicotine versions afterwards could help with weaning off nicotine.
Experts state that while vaping is not entirely risk-free, it is considerably safer than smoking. The review focused on regulated vapes that comply with strict safety laws and are checked for quality. Dr Jamie Hartmann-Boyce, one of the report authors, cautioned that unlicensed e-cigarettes are potentially dangerous due to issues like unstable batteries and harmful chemicals, advising users to only purchase devices approved by their country's regulatory body.
The review found no evidence of any increased risk of serious harm from using e-cigarettes to quit. However, the long-term risks of vaping are not yet clear, and the NHS advises that children and non-smokers should never vape.