[ad_1]
According to new research, switching to electronic cigarettes may offer a better chance of success than nicotine patches, lozenges or nicotine gums.
This discovery follows a small, one-year study of approximately 120 UK smokers enrolled in the National Health Service's smoking cessation program.
"Electronic cigarettes provide nicotine, which is important when someone is trying to quit," said author of the study, Dunja Przulj. "Not using nicotine can make it difficult to manage nicotine withdrawal symptoms, so having a nicotine substitute increases your chances of quitting," she said.
"In our study, smokers used the e-cigarette in the same way as other nicotine replacement treatments, and were asked to set a" day off "and to recommend that they use their e-cigarettes. cigarette regularly throughout the day and whenever they felt the need "Przulj added. "Everyone was encouraged to avoid smoking normal cigarettes."
In the end, the results of the study suggested that "e-cigarettes would almost double your chances of quitting smoking after one year compared to nicotine replacement. [products], "she reported.
Przulj is a psychologist specializing in health and research at the Health and Lifestyle Research Unit at Queen Mary University in London.
Swap against each other
For the approximately 15% of Americans who smoke, the US Food and Drug Administration has not approved electronic cigarettes as a way to quit smoking.
But in practical terms, investigators have noted that more and more American smokers have opted for e-cigarettes as a way to quit smoking than for FDA-approved treatments.
In the UK study group, 79 smokers in total were enrolled in an "e-cigarette group" and received a rechargeable electronic cigarette to use. The remaining 44 smokers received a three-month supply of any approved nicotine replacement.
In the end, investigators found that nearly 10% of the nicotine replacement group did not smoke traditional cigarettes a year later, but this figure had almost doubled to 18% among those who used the cigarette. to quit smoking.
However, the study team acknowledged that previous research has shown that when nicotine replacement products are badociated with prescription medications – such as the Chantix nicotine receptor blocker (varenicline) and / or bupropion, one-year abstinence rates were the same as or better than those of the electronic drug. results from cig.
In addition, 80% of the e-cigs group members of the study were still using e-cigs at the end of the first birthday. This compares to only 9% of those in the nicotine replacement group at this stage.
For example, does encouraging smokers to use e-cigarettes to quit increase the risk that people who quit smoking will end up swapping nicotine addiction? Przulj thinks the risk is worth it.
"Electronic cigarettes are at least 95% less risky than cigarettes," she said, "and so, even if someone still uses an electronic cigarette, the benefits outweigh the disadvantages." . "
In fact, "doctors should encourage all smokers to try the electronic cigarette," suggested Mr Przulj, "especially if they have already tried other methods and that these do not work. have not been helpful. "
Not enough evidence
The report was published online on 30 January in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Belinda Borrelli is co-author of an accompanying editorial and director of the Center for Behavioral Science Research at Boston University. She interpreted the results with greater caution.
Borrelli noted, for example, that the fact that all participants were British and all smokers trying to quit smoking limited the application of findings to all smokers. She further pointed out that very few studies had in fact explored the pros and cons of using e-cigs to help quit smoking.
"It's a step in the right direction, but it's only a study," Borelli said.
"We do not have the evidence to say that e-cigarettes meet the standards of evidence-based practice recommendations," she continued. "There is substantial evidence that they are less harmful than traditional cigarettes, but that does not mean that they are not."
For now, added Borelli, "the best way to stop smoking is to use first-line evidence-based treatment approved by the FDA.If that fails, consider the short-term use of the electronic cigarette to stop smoking. "
The study was funded by the National Institute for Health Research and Cancer Research UK.
[ad_2]
Source link
