Nicotine electronic cigarettes can help people stop smoking, working better than other replacement therapies such as patches or gum, a new review has found.
The Cochrane review analysed 80 studies, involving a total of 29,861 adults who smoked, comparing nicotine vapes with other options offered to help people quit.
“There is clear evidence that nicotine e-cigarettes increase smoking cessation rates at six months or longer compared to nicotine replacement therapy,” Jamie Hartmann-Boyce, senior author of the review at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, told reporters during a press briefing presenting the report, adding that nicotine vapes increase cessation rates by about 60%.
“Our certainty in that evidence is high, which means we do not think future studies are likely to meaningfully change these conclusions,” she added.
The review found that more people were able to quit smoking and remain smoke-free for at least six months with e-cigarettes than with nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), such as patches, gum and sprays.
