A new study led by researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst shows that nicotine e-cigarettes can help adults quit smoking. This conclusion comes after reviewing nearly ten years of research and comparing results from many studies.
The research, published in the journal Addiction, looked at 14 systematic reviews, which together covered 109 individual studies done between 2014 and 2023. The authors also examined 21 different meta-analyses, which combine results from multiple studies. Every analysis showed the same result: people who used nicotine e-cigarettes were more likely to quit smoking than those using other methods. Previous studies have also indicated that vaping is less harmful than smoking.
The review found that adults who used nicotine e-cigarettes were about 20% to 40% more likely to quit smoking than those using traditional nicotine replacement therapies, like patches or gum, when measured over at least six months. The results were even stronger when compared to non-nicotine e-cigarettes or placebo devices, with quit rates at least 46% higher.
Jamie Hartmann-Boyce, the senior author and assistant professor of health policy and management at the UMass Amherst School of Public Health and Health Sciences, said the findings show strong agreement among scientists. “We wanted to see if experts agree on whether nicotine e-cigarettes help people quit smoking,” she said. “The consistent results make it clear that they do.
However, Hartmann-Boyce also stressed that e-cigarettes are not a guaranteed solution for everyone. They carry health risks, although these risks are far lower than those of smoking. Smoking harms not only the smoker but also the people around them through secondhand smoke. Secondhand exposure to vaping is much less dangerous in comparison.
The study also shows that nicotine e-cigarettes may help quit smoking not just because of the nicotine but also the vaping experience. “Addiction is often about more than just nicotine,” Hartmann-Boyce explained. “The hand-to-mouth motion, the throat hit, and the visible vapour are all part of the habit that people find hard to break. E-cigarettes replicate some of these cues in ways that patches cannot.”
These same features, however, are why vaping among young people is a concern. “The main worry is when people who would never have smoked start using e-cigarettes,” Hartmann-Boyce noted. “But this does not mean that e-cigarettes are not effective for adults trying to quit smoking.”
While the study shows nicotine e-cigarettes may work better than traditional nicotine replacement therapies, it is still unclear how they compare to prescription drugs called nicotine receptor partial agonists. One such drug, varenicline (sold as Chantix in the U.S.), reduces the pleasure of smoking and lowers withdrawal cravings. “There are not enough studies to compare these prescription drugs directly to nicotine e-cigarettes, so we cannot say which is better,” Hartmann-Boyce said.
Hartmann-Boyce hopes the research will help clear up confusion about vaping. Although nicotine e-cigarettes are effective for quitting smoking, public perception has been affected by reports of lung injuries linked to certain additives in THC-vaping products and concerns about marketing to young people.
She stressed the importance of understanding the risks of smoking. About half of all lifelong daily smokers die from smoking-related causes, which makes quitting crucial. “E-cigarettes are not risk-free, but they are far less harmful than smoking,” Hartmann-Boyce said.
Overall, the study indicates that nicotine e-cigarettes can be a helpful tool for adults who want to stop smoking. They may provide higher success rates than traditional methods, and the experience of vaping may help satisfy habits linked to smoking. While young people’s use of e-cigarettes remains a concern, adults trying to quit should know that these devices could provide them a better chance of success.
By reviewing nearly a decade of studies, researchers now have clearer evidence that nicotine e-cigarettes can play a role in reducing smoking rates, offering an option that is safer than cigarettes, though not entirely without risk.
