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News
Vaping edges out the competition for quitting smoking. An updated Cochrane review of 80 clinical trials and nearly 30,000 participants found that nicotine e-cigarettes outperform patches, gum, and behavioral support in helping people quit smoking. Researchers stress that while vaping isn't risk-free, it's significantly less harmful than continuing to smoke — and only regulated products should be used.
An updated Cochrane living systematic review — one that's continuously refreshed as new evidence rolls in — has concluded that nicotine e-cigarettes are more effective at helping people quit smoking than nicotine replacement therapies (NRT) like patches and gum, behavioral support programs, or going cold turkey. The review pooled data from 80 randomized controlled trials and nearly 30,000 participants, with nine new trials added in this latest update.
The evidence is high-certainty: for every 100 people trying to quit, nicotine e-cigarettes led to roughly 4 more successful quitters compared to NRT, and 2 more compared to non-nicotine e-cigarettes. Researchers found no evidence that using e-cigarettes to quit smoking increased the risk of serious harm — though they caution that longer-term data is still needed, and that only regulated, approved products should be used.
By the Numbers:
Why it matters: Smoking remains the world's leading cause of preventable death. For the millions who've tried and failed with conventional quit aids, regulated nicotine e-cigarettes now have strong evidence behind them as a viable — and meaningfully safer — stepping stone away from tobacco.
