The Cochrane Library e-cigarette update landed today, and once again the science proves vaping is the best way to quit smoking.
Not only that, the data shows beyond doubt that vaping beats stop smoking drugs, patches, gums and sprays hands down.
An update from the world renowned Cochrane Library has looked at 5 new studies – making 61 in total – and says e-cigarettes containing nicotine lead to more smokers stubbing out the killer habit.
The researchers say smokers using e-cigarettes to quit are at least doubling their chances, with up to 14 out of every 100 being successful for 6 months or more.
That’s compared to just 6 out of 100 smokers using sprays, patches, gums and the drug varenicline, known as Champix.
We’ve known for some time that drug has awful side effects including suicidal tendencies.
The 61 studies the Cochrane team has looked at, saw the data from 16,759 smokers and compared e-cigarettes containing nicotine with:
- nicotine replacement therapy, such as patches or gum;
- varenicline (a medicine to help people stop smoking);
- nicotine‐free e‐cigarettes;
- other types of nicotine‐containing e‐cigarettes (e.g. pod devices, newer devices);
- behavioural support, such as advice or counselling; or
- no support for stopping smoking.
Vaping categorically came out on top with the team concluding:
More people probably stop smoking for at least six months using nicotine e‐cigarettes than using nicotine replacement therapy (4 studies, 1924 people), or nicotine‐free e‐cigarettes (5 studies, 1447 people).
Nicotine e‐cigarettes may help more people to stop smoking than no support or behavioural support only (6 studies, 2886 people).
For every 100 people using nicotine e‐cigarettes to stop smoking, 9 to 14 might successfully stop, compared with only 6 of 100 people using nicotine‐replacement therapy, 7 of 100 using nicotine‐free e‐cigarettes, or four of 100 people having no support or behavioural support only.
The researchers also looked at any side effects brought on by vaping, and whilst there were some, they were classed as minor and quickly passed with continued use of an e-cigarette:
…There was some evidence that non‐serious unwanted effects were more common in groups receiving nicotine e‐cigarettes compared to no support or behavioural support only.
Similar low numbers of unwanted effects, including serious unwanted effects, were reported for other comparisons.
There is probably no difference in how many non‐serious unwanted effects occur in people using nicotine e‐cigarettes compared to non‐nicotine e‐cigarettes.
The unwanted effects reported most often with nicotine e‐cigarettes were throat or mouth irritation, headache, cough and feeling sick.
These effects reduced over time as people continued using nicotine e‐cigarettes.
I wrote a detailed article on the side effects from vaping – do check it out if you’re at all concerned.
Cochrane Library E-cigarette Update – Nicotine E-cigarettes DO Help People Quit…
It’s a fantastic update – a little hard to read at times – but well worth a long hard look.
Once again the science has proved beyond doubt that e-cigarettes whilst not without minor risk, are the very best way to quit smoking.
The study update concludes:
Nicotine e‐cigarettes probably do help people to stop smoking for at least six months.
They probably work better than nicotine replacement therapy and nicotine‐free e‐cigarettes.
They may work better than no support, or behavioural support alone, and they may not be associated with serious unwanted effects.
However, we need more evidence to be confident about the effects of e‐cigarettes, particularly the effects of newer types of e‐cigarettes that have better nicotine delivery than older types of e‐cigarettes.
You can’t be clearer than that!
As to if the anti-vape brigade, including the World Health Organization, will listen, one doubts it.
I mean let’s face it in their eyes, an eminent group such as the Cochrane Library, has less grasp of the real science than a bunch of screaming moms and ignorant politicians…right?
Checkout the full Cochrane Library update: Electronic cigarettes for smoking cessation
