[WeChat: ilieyun) Beijing] reported on December 21
The aided smoking cessation effect of e-cigarettes has been confirmed again. The research paper published by the authoritative medical journal "New England Journal of Medicine" pointed out that e-cigarettes can help smokers quit smoking, and the smoking cessation effect and smoking cessation experience are better than the use of nicotine replacement therapy (such as nicotine patches, etc.).
Figure: Findings published in the New England Journal of Medicine
The well-known journal The Lancet-Public Health has recently published similar findings. The data shows that in the 18-month survey, the success rate of smoking cessation in the e-cigarette group is generally 5%-10% higher than that of the control group (no auxiliary smoking cessation method is used).
The study, supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIHR), surveyed nearly 1,000 UK smokers. Taking the one-year non-use of cigarettes as the "success of smoking cessation" criterion, the data shows that the success rate of users who quit smoking with e-cigarettes is 18%, while smokers who use nicotine patches, nicotine gum and other nicotine replacement therapies have a smoking cessation success rate of only 9.9%.
Figure: The study data shows that the success rate of quitting smoking with e-cigarettes is higher than that of nicotine replacement therapy, regardless of the stage of smoking cessation
Why is the smoking cessation effect of e-cigarettes so good? Researchers said that one is that e-cigarettes as a cigarette substitute can not only meet the nicotine needs of smokers, but also imitate cigarettes in the use of actions and experiences, and more comprehensively alleviate the withdrawal symptoms of smokers; second, the brand, taste, and nicotine content of e-cigarettes are different, and smokers have a large choice space and the satisfaction of use will also be improved.
In addition, switching to e-cigarettes will also improve the physical condition of smokers. Studies have shown that after switching to e-cigarettes, smokers have reduced the symptoms of respiratory infections.
Study leader Peter Hajek, director of the Tobacco Dependence Research Group at Queen Mary University of London, has been conducting research on smoking cessation for years. As early as 2014, he conducted experiments on nicotine-containing e-cigarettes and concluded that if ingestion of nicotine is not accompanied by other toxic substances, its health effects are not much different from coffee.
"We have seen that with the increase in the popularity of e-cigarettes, the success rate of smokers to quit smoking has also increased. Those who can't find an effective way to quit smoking are benefiting from e-cigarettes. Peter Hajek said.
According to UK smoking cessation service data, from 2019 to 2020, among those who use e-cigarettes to quit smoking at local smoking cessation service centers, the success rate is as high as 74%, and e-cigarettes have become the most popular way to quit smoking. Hospitals in some cities, such as London and Edinburgh in the United Kingdom, have decided that no matter what illness a patient goes to the hospital emergency department, the hospital will issue free e-cigarette kits to smokers to help more people quit smoking.