People are more likely to quit using the vapour aids
A study by The University College London team have revealed that a fifth of smokers have quit with the help of e-cigarettes, and they are more likely to succeed than those using just willpower or nicotine replacement therapies.
The survey of 6,000 smokers showed that e-cigarettes proved more effective in quitting smoking than patches or gum, with 60% of the group more likely to give up using the nicotine vapour product.
The researchers told BBC News they were “cautiously positive” about the role e-cigarettes could play, however Welsh government remains skeptical, claiming they could ‘normalise’ smoking and the products are not available on the NHS.
Quitting with e-cigarettes
E-cigarette popularity has shot up in recent years, with over 2 million smokers now giving them a try, which is triple the number of people who dabbled with them two years ago. Half of smokers have now tried them, compared with only 8% who sampled them in 2010. They work by giving smokers the experience the sensation of smoking by inhaling a vapour which contains a concentration of nicotine.
Lead researcher Prof Robert West, one of the UK’s leading experts in this field, said “E-cigarettes could substantially improve public health because of their widespread appeal and the huge health gains associated with stopping smoking.”
