Vaping is twice as effective as NRT

New England Journal of Medicine

Clarke, E. et al., Snus: a compelling harm reduction alternative to cigarettes, Harm Reduction Journal 16, 62 (2019)

• A study of 886 adult smokers in the UK found that smokers are twice more likely to successfully quit if they are given a vaping starter kit rather than nicotine replacement therapies (NRT)to quit. 
• Half of the smokers in the study were given a three-month supply of NRT  of their choice (e.g. gums, sprays, patches) and half were given a vaping starter kit that contained one bottle of 18mg strength e-liquid.
• Key findings: 
  • 18% of participants in the vaping group reported being ex-smokers after one year, compared to 9.9% in the NRT group.  
  • Vapers were less likely to have a cough than the NRT users and also felt less nauseous. There were no significant differences between the groups with regard to wheezing or shortness of breath. 
  • Vapers were more likely to continue using the product compared to NRT users. One in five people in the e-cigarette group still used the product after one year compared to one in ten for NRT. 
• The study was funded by the UK Government’s National Institute for Health Research and Cancer Research UK.

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