Vapeboss – In line with several previous studies, a Cochrane report, titled "Electronic cigarettes for smoking cessation," found that vaping is more effective at helping people quit smoking compared to using other NRTs such as patches and gum. More specifically, the study found that while 6 out of 100 people quit using NRT, 8 to 12 people would quit through vaping.

Report author Jamie Hartmann-Boyce, a professor at the University of Oxford, said that there are many misconceptions surrounding vaping both in the public health community and in the media. She said that this misinformation unfortunately discourages people from considering the product as a smoking cessation tool. She added that fortunately, more scientific evidence continues to emerge and provides "further clarity."

"With support from Cancer Research UK, we search for new evidence every month as part of a living systematic review. We identify and combine the strongest evidence from the most reliable scientific studies currently available. For the first time, this gives us high-certainty evidence that e-cigarettes are even more effective at helping people quit smoking than traditional nicotine replacement therapies [such as] patches or chewing gum," Hartmann-Boyce added.

The UK remains at the forefront of vape regulation

In fact, a recent comprehensive review has confirmed that the UK, which has long supported the use of vaping for smoking cessation, leads the way in terms of the smoking cessation strategies it has implemented.

Commissioned by the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities, the study was conducted at King's College London. It reaffirmed that vaping poses 'a fraction of the health risks of smoking.' It also concluded that the use of vaping products leads to a 'substantial reduction' in exposure to toxins that promote cancer, lung disease, and cardiovascular disease, in comparison to cigarettes.

Cancer Research UK's executive director of policy, Dr. Ian Walker, said the report confirmed what a growing body of research has shown regarding the benefits of switching to proven safer alternatives.

The use of safe nicotine delivery products is considered capable of reducing smoking prevalence

Meanwhile, a 2021 paper by Frost & Sullivan in collaboration with tobacco company Philip Morris International (PMI) titled, "Tobacco Harm Reduction and New Nicotine and Tobacco Products: Evidence from the Japanese Market," found that the introduction of HTPs in Japan has led to a 34% drop in cigarette sales.

"The commercial availability of HTPs in Japan is associated with a significant decline in conventional cigarette sales, well above previous rates of decline. Furthermore, even after Heated Tobacco Products became available, sales of all tobacco products (Heated Tobacco Products and conventional cigarettes) continued to decline. Despite diverse evidence, data from the 2019 National Health Survey shows that 76% of consumers who use Heated Tobacco do so exclusively. Only 24% of HTP users maintain dual use," said Mark Dougan, Consulting Director, Healthcare, Frost & Sullivan.

In fact, a recent article in Arabian Business highlighted that in just six years since the introduction of IQOS and heated tobacco products in 2014, IQOS has grown annually to reach over 20% market share.

Similar patterns have been observed in the UK and Sweden. The UK has achieved its lowest recorded smoking rates thanks to the support for using vaping products for tobacco harm reduction and smoking cessation. While Sweden has achieved smoke-free status by legalizing snus and embracing its use as a safer alternative to cigarettes.

Confirming this, another recent study by Kenneth Warner, dean emeritus at Avedis Donabedian Distinguished University Professor Emeritus at the University of Michigan School of Public Health, took a global view of vaping, comparing countries that support vaping and those that do not, and seeing how they compare in terms of smoking cessation rates.

The findings highlight that in countries like the UK and New Zealand where products are promoted as NRT, this is reflected in local smoking rates. "We believe that governments, medical professional groups, and individual healthcare professionals in countries like the US, Canada, and Australia should give more consideration to the potential of e-cigarettes to increase smoking cessation," said Warner.

Source: Vapingpost

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