Less than half of the participants believed that e-cigarettes are better for patients than tobacco products.
The study titled, “Knowledge and Attitudes Among Medical Students Toward the Clinical Usage of e-Cigarettes: A Cross-Sectional Study in a University Hospital in Saudi Arabia,” aimed to measure the likelihood of study participants’ favouring the use of e-cigarettes for smoking cessation. A total of 399 students filled a four-item questionnaire.
The compiled responses indicated that a minority approved of e-cigarette use for smoking cessation. “A minority (13.5%) believed that e-cigarettes are FDA-approved for smoking cessation, while approximately one-third believed e-smoking lowers cancer risks (31.1%) and could help with smoking cessation (31.1%).”
17.5% would recommend e-cigs for smoking cessation
Moreover, less than half of the participants believed that e-cigarettes are better for patients than tobacco products. “Further, 35.9% agreed or strongly agreed that e-cigarettes are better for patients than tobacco products, and 17.5% were likely to recommend e-smoking to their patients for smoking cessation.”
In line with similar studies from across the globe, the researchers identified countless misconceptions about e-cigarettes. “We observed several misconceptions about addictiveness and inadequate awareness about e-cigarettes’ harmful effects, leading to non-scientific opinions about its therapeutic use for harm reduction or in smoking cessation. Academic programs around this topic should be updated in accordance with majority expert recommendations,” they concluded.
