Titled, “Effect of vaping on past-year smoking cessation success of Australians in 2019 – evidence from a national survey,” the study included 1,601 smokers and has found that using e-cigarettes to quit smoking increased the odds of success by 68%-124% compared to not vaping. In line with previous findings this data has shown once again that vaping is more effective in helping smokers quit.
Interestingly, the best results were observed in vapers who obtained e-liquids from foreign websites. While another curious finding revealed that using a smartphone app in combination with vaping, increased the odds of quitting by 74% compared to not using an app.
Discussing the study, renowned smoking cessation expert Dr. Colin Mendelsohn summarized some other findings. “Smokers who asked a doctor for help had a 12% lower quit rate compared to those who did not seek a doctor’s help. NRT users had a 25% reduced chance of quitting compared to those who did not use NRT. Those who used Quitline had a 50% reduction in quit rates.”
The importance of including vapes in smoking cessation strategies
While study author Dr. Mark Chambers from the University of New South Wales reiterated the importance of incorporating vaping products in smoking cessation strategies. “The present study provides evidence that Australians that used e-cigarettes for smoking cessation attempts in 2019 were more successful than those that did not. Therefore, improving access to nicotine e-cigarettes in Australia could be expected to assist some Australian smokers to quit.”
