Are the e-cigarettes more effective than other products for stopping smoking? This is not really a surprising announcement! However, a few days ago, the Public Health England (PHE) has just reaffirmed that all the evidence shows an increased effectiveness of the vape compared to nicotine replacement therapies (patches, gums, drugs, etc.).
A 7TH REPORT FROM THE PHE THAT LEAVES NO ROOM FOR DOUBT!
The plateau observed in the number of vapers in the United Kingdom and even across Europe shows that incorrect perceptions of the risks of vaping versus smoking can discourage smokers from using e-cigarettes to quit smoking.
Recently, the seventh gear independent of Public Health England (PHE) on vaping in England, carried out by researchers from King's College London, revealed that:
- Nicotine vaping products were the most popular aid (27,2%) used by smokers trying to quit in England in 2020. It is estimated that in 2017 more than 50 smokers quit smoking. smoke using a vaping product that would otherwise have continued to smoke.
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38% of smokers in 2020 thought that " vaping is as harmful as smoking ". 15% even think that vaping is more harmful than smoking.
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Using a vaping product as part of an attempt to quit smoking in local departments had some of the highest success rates (between 59,7% and 74% in 2019 and 2020).
This new report takes an in-depth look at the latest evidence for the effectiveness of e-cigarettes with nicotine in helping people quit smoking. The report also provides an update on the use of nicotine vaping products among youth and adults and examines data on people's perception of risk.
THE OPINION OF THE EXPERTS IN THE PHE REPORT
Professor John Newton, director of health improvement to PHE, said:
» Smoking is still the leading preventable cause of premature death and illness killing nearly 75 people in England in 000. The best thing a smoker can do is quit smoking altogether and the evidence shows that vaping is there. one of the most effective ways to quit smoking. , helping approximately 2019 smokers to quit smoking per year. »
Professor Ann McNeill, addiction teacher au King's College London and lead author of the report said:
» Our report brings together the results of randomized controlled trials, smoking cessation services, and population studies and concludes that nicotine vaping products are an effective way to successfully quit smoking. What is concerning is that smokers, especially those from disadvantaged groups, increasingly believe that vaping is as harmful as smoking. This is not true and means fewer smokers are trying to vape. »
Deborah Arnott, ASH Director General, said :
» Rightly so, since e-cigarettes became an alternative to smoking, the government has sought to strike a balance between helping smokers quit and protecting children. As the ASH research included in the report for PHE shows, e-cigarette use among 11-18 year olds has remained low to date, but on the decline, their potential as a quit smoking aid for adults has not been fully realized. »
Michelle mitchell , general manager of Cancer Research UK, said :
» Electronic cigarettes are still a relatively new product - they are not without risk because we do not yet know their long term impact. We strongly discourage people who have not smoked from using them, especially young people. But research so far shows that vaping is less harmful than smoking and, as this report points out, can help people quit smoking. The long-term effects of electronic cigarettes are unknown, but the long-term harms of tobacco are indisputable. »
PHE's advice remains that smokers should switch to vaping products to help them quit, but non-smokers should not start vaping. Vaping products contain far fewer harmful chemicals than cigarettes, but they are not without risks.
Public Health England has commissioned a full review of the evidence on the safety of vaping products, to be released next year in 2022. To view the full report, meet here.
