Vaping Helps Dependent Smokers More Than Nicotine Replacement Therapy

According to the results of a clinical trial by Queen Mary University of London, vaping is more effective than nicotine replacement therapy in achieving long-term smoking reduction and smoking cessation.

About 80% of smokers receiving intensive treatment continue smoking after one year. Smokers may benefit from approaches that reduce the harm of smoking without requiring them to stop using nicotine immediately, with the option to quit nicotine later. Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), such as nicotine patches, gum, nasal/oral sprays, and inhalers, has been approved for this approach for more than 30 years. These methods are effective, especially when behavioral support is also provided, but their overall results are moderate.

In the first study of its kind, researchers recruited 135 smokers who had been unable to quit through conventional treatment. They were randomly assigned to receive either an 8-week supply of NRT of their choice or a vaping starter kit, along with instructions on how to purchase more e-liquid in their preferred strength and flavor. The products were provided together with minimal smoking cessation behavioral support.

The results, published in the journal Addiction, found significant differences in smoking reduction, including complete smoking cessation, in favor of the vaping group. After six months, 27% of participants in the vaping group had reduced their cigarette consumption by at least half, compared with 6% in the NRT group. Carbon monoxide readings in participants’ breath confirmed that there was also a significant difference in complete smoking cessation rates: 19% of participants in the vaping group had quit smoking, compared with 3% in the NRT group.

The findings suggest that for dependent smokers, recommending a refillable vaping device with e-liquid strength and flavor chosen by the patient is more effective than prescribing NRT. The cost of a vaping starter kit was also much lower than NRT.

Dr. Katie Myers Smith, lead researcher and health psychologist from Queen Mary University of London, said: “These results have important clinical implications for smokers who were previously unable to quit through conventional treatment. Vaping products should be recommended to smokers who have found it difficult to quit using other methods, especially when behavioral support is limited.”

Michelle Mitchell, Chief Executive of Cancer Research UK, which funded the study, said: “This study shows that vaping can be a very effective tool for people who want to quit smoking, including those who have tried to quit before. Research to date suggests that vaping is far less harmful than smoking. But vaping is not risk-free, and we still do not know its long-term effects, so people who have never smoked should not use it.

“It is important to switch completely in order to gain the benefits and reduce the risk of cancer. Talk to your GP or local free stop-smoking service about how to find the best option for you.”