E Cigs Twice As Effective as NRT

Do you know someone who is struggling to give up smoking? Are you in that boat but finding it hard not to return to tobacco? We might be able to help with that. There are many cessation options however a recent study has shown that using e cigs to quit can be twice as effective as NRT (Nicotine Replacement Therapy).

With so much more known about the dangers of smoking more and more smokers are looking to give up. Unfortunately, quitting smoking is hard. The health, wealth and environmental benefits of quitting smoking make it worth it but to enjoy that you need to find a way to make giving up cigarettes work for you.

Why is Giving Up Smoking Hard 

If it was easy to quit smoking most people would do it instantly. Nicotine plays a part in what makes giving up hard yet it not the only factor at play. Nicotine withdrawal is real; so are the physical and mental withdrawals which are equally difficult to get past. Smoking is a habit so you are used to the hand to mouth action, having something in your hand, the inhale and exhale, the relaxation of it and more. You fight the urge to give into nicotine cravings and have to get past missing these things too.

Don’t give up hope though as help is at hand.

What is NRT 

Usually administered via Stop Smoking clinics and similar, Nicotine Replacement Therapy offers nicotine products which you can take or use when weaning yourself off smoking. Using NRT enables you to avoid fierce nicotine withdrawal and you can lower your nicotine content gradually to suit you. A range of NRT products is available including patches, gum, tablets, sprays and more. NRT has helped many people give up smoking. What it doesn’t do is address the habit issues, just the nicotine cravings and withdrawal.

The Study

The study mentioned above regarding how e cigarettes can be twice as effective as NRT in helping people quit was published earlier in 2019. It can be found in the New England Journal of Medicine and concludes that vaping can not only help people quit but keep them smoke-free long term.

The study, undertaken at Queen Many University in London found that eighteen percent of study participants given e cigarettes and e liquids alongside a month-long habit-breaking course were still smoke free after a year. Those given NRT products and the behavioural course were less likely to be smoke free in twelve months. Only ten percent reported in as completely tobacco cigarette free. All participants were given a basic starter kit and instructed that it was up to them what they decided to do after the trial. What was interesting about how this study was conducted was the fact that researchers allowed participants to choose the style or type of vaping product they preferred. This individual approach backs up the fact that vaping offers more flexibility and a more individual approach to smoking.

Researchers noted that regulations governing vaping, i.e. the TPD, could well make it harder for smokers to quit using e cigarettes. The result of this is that more smokers will remain smokers. The TPD regulations limit the amount of nicotine may be used (strength-wise) and has cracked down on tank size. It is noted that the Queen Mary researcher felt that lifting these restrictions could help many more people quit smoking. That’s certainly something for the legislation writers to consider.

In Conclusion 

Vaping offers smokers a cleaner way to enjoy their previous habit. It is as simple as that. E cigarette use has been shown time and time again to be a popular alternative to smoking, a successful cessation device, albeit an unofficial one, and with Public Health England keen to advocate for vaping it is hoped that more people with use e cigs to quit smoking in future. NRT certainly has its place at the table. That said, more people need to be aware of their options and the fact that e cigarettes are almost twice as likely to help people quit smoking.