Use of electronic cigarettes to quit tobacco smoking.

Kevin Jiménez Reyes

Most researchers and public health professionals agree that electronic cigarettes
and other vaping devices are far less harmful than smoked cigarettes because they
do not produce combustion and don’t have tobacco, the leading contributor to the
majority of negative health effects associated with smoking. When used as a
complete replacement, rather than in addition to cigarettes, they are a preferable
alternative for smokers who haven’t had success with medically proven
approaches.

But is vaping a good option for smokers who want to reduce or quit smoking? It
depends. While a few studies have found that electronic cigarettes can help reduce
smoking, most show that electronic cigarette use does not significantly reduce
cigarette use, and several found that people who use them may be less likely to
successfully quit smoking. This may be because electronic cigarette use can make
the nicotine addiction even worse. The addictive qualities of smoking involve not
just nicotine, but also the behaviors and environmental cues associated with
smoking, which electronic cigarette use imitates.

Although electronic cigarettes have potential advantages over traditional cigarettes,

there are many deficiencies in the available data. Differences in product
engineering, components and potential toxicities make it difficult to discuss
electronic cigarettes as a single device. Electronic cigarettes may be useful in
facilitating smoking cessation, but definitive data is lacking. Electronic cigarettes
may provide a less harmful source of nicotine than traditional cigarettes, but
evidence of decreased harm with long-term use is not available.

Reference:

Callahan-Lyon P
Electronic cigarettes: human health effects
Tobacco Control 2014; 23: pp.36-40.