A newly released study that included nearly 6,000 smokers that demonstrated great results for e-cigarettes as a beneficial device for smokers. One fifth of the smokers had successfully quit smoking completely with the aid of electronic smokeless cigarettes. The study was conducted over a five year period from 2009 to 2014 and was sponsored by Cancer Research UK.
A 60% higher success rate than the participants who did not use e-cigarettes suggested that electronic cigarettes may be a vital device to lower smoking rates. The survey was done by the epidemiology and public health department team at The University College London, and when commenting on this much higher success rate, they stated understanding the effect e-cigarettes had on the subjects.
Usage of electronic cigarettes has tripled in only the last two years, and it is said that about half of smokers have already tried them at least once. Just 4 years ago, not even a tenth of smokers really knew what a smokless cigarette even was. But having a similar experience, the vapor sensation has attracted many smokers to the possibility of switching from analogue devices.
One out of five participants we’re successfully able to quit smoking using e-cigarettes as nicotine replacement alone. Only one out of ten we’re successful using various alternatives over the counter such as nicotine patches and gums, but did not test against strong drug prescriptions like chantix. Will power alone was also more successful than gums and patches. But overall the test showed that you we’re twice as likely to quit with the aid of electronic cigarettes.
Robert West hopes the study can spark a change that would have real effects on tobacco smoking and the millions of lives it takes every year.Robert West said;“E-cigarettes could substantially improve public health because of their widespread appeal and the huge health gains associated with stopping smoking,” and added “It’s not clear whether long-term use of e-cigarettes carries health risks, but from what is known about the contents of the vapour these will be much less than from smoking,”.
Critics continue to question the lack of scientific evidence that e-cigarettes are indeed safe on long term use and claim that it could be a serious health problem, but until now tobacco smoking kills about 50% of lifelong smokers, making it one of the most serious health issues the world has had to deal with. Meanwhile electronic cigarettes continue to become more successful at helping individuals quit tobacco smoking for good, a battle they lost every time previously.