Study: Flavored Vapes Are Twice as Effective as Tobacco Flavor for Quitting

On June 30, news reports indicated that a large-scale international study involving nearly 18,000 participants showed that flavored e-cigarettes are twice as effective as tobacco-flavored ones in helping adults quit smoking. Furthermore, flavored e-cigarettes do not lead to an increase in smoking among young people.

As this study was released, a bill regulating smoking in New Zealand is awaiting progress in Parliament. The bill stipulates that general retailers, such as dairies, supermarkets, and service stations, are only allowed to sell three types of e-cigarette products: tobacco, mint, and menthol.

"This study overwhelmingly demonstrates that flavors help more adults quit smoking and do not attract more young people to smoke. Given this compelling research, our lawmakers now need to amend the bill and maintain the convenience of popular flavors for adult users. There is no doubt that flavored e-cigarettes are key to achieving a smoke-free future in New Zealand," said Ben Pryor, co-owner of VAPO and New Zealand's largest e-cigarette brand, Alt.

The study, titled "The Association of Flavored E-Cigarette Use with Subsequent Smoking Initiation and Cessation," has been published in Jama Network - Journal of the American Medical Association.

Researchers concluded: "The preference for flavored e-cigarettes is not associated with an increase in youth smokers but is related to a greater likelihood of cessation among adults. Those who prefer non-tobacco flavors are 2.3 times more likely to quit than those using tobacco-flavored e-cigarettes."

"We just hope our government follows the evidence rather than emotions. As the researchers concluded, 'Increasing cessation among the 18 to 54 age group has a substantial impact on population health.' The way to achieve this is to ensure a wide variety of e-cigarette flavors are available to smokers who wish to quit. Adults enjoy flavors, and they are effective," Mr. Pryor said.