The latest study published in International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health showed that electronic cigarettes successfully decreased smokers’ tobacco cigarette cravings. Scientists at the KU Leuven reported that this successful reduction on cigarette cravings also only involved minimal adverse effects.
Developed as less harmful cigarette alternatives, ecigarettes were known to contain 100-1,000 times less of the toxic substances normally found in tobacco smoke. They are preferred by more and more people as cigarette alternatives and possible cessation tools because they simulate the tobacco smoking experience.
Effect of Ecigs after 8 Months
There were 48 participants involved in this study who used electronic cigarettes. Researchers analyzed the effects of vaping they experienced after 8 months of use. All 48 participants were smokers without any intention of quitting the habit.
Researchers aimed to examine if ecigs could diminish a smoker’s desire to smoke real cigarettes in short term. They also hoped to determine if ecigs can help people to stop smoking in the long terms.
There were three groups to which participants were assigned. Two were ecigarette groups that were allowed to vape and to smoke real cigarettes in the first two months. The third group served as the control group, which was given only access to tobacco.
The second phase of the study involved giving the control group ecigarettes to use and they participants were monitored after six months using a web tool to which they had to regularly record their smoking and vaping habits.
In laboratory testing, ecigs were proven to effectively suppress cravings for tobacco cigarettes while the amount of exhaled carbon monoxide stayed at the baseline levels. Long term analysis revealed that smokers were more likely to sap their tobacco cigarettes for ecigarettes and taper down their cigarette consumption.
When the 8-month period concluded, 21% of participants had entirely stopped smoking and this was verified through carbon monoxide test. There were 23% of participants who reported that their daily cigarette consumption had decreased by 50%. Through all the three groups, researchers have found that participants had 60% reduction in their daily smoke consumption.
Professor Frank Baeyens and postdoctoral researcher Dinska Van Gucht are both from the Psychology of Learning and Experimental Psychopathology Unit. They concluded that all groups had shown similar results after the introduction of ecigarettes.
With guidance on how to properly use the devices, many smokers were offered by nicotine ecigs with successful alternative on smoking fewer cigarettes or even for quitting smoking. Vapers get the cigarette smoking experience and nicotine vapor inhalation, but they do not suffer from the damaging effects from smoking tobacco cigarettes.
Baeyens said that by comparison, of smokers who quit through willpower alone, only 3-5% remained smoke-free after 6-12 months of cessation. In Belgium, ecigs are currently prohibited while all neighboring countries permit the sale of ecigs with nicotine. With this new study’s results, researchers are urging regulators for new legal framework on nicotine vaping in the country.
Additional Appeal of Ecigs
Ecigs are definitely useful tools that smokers could use in smoke cessation. Apart from helping them get away from tobacco smoking, ecigs also offer other attractive incentives such as financial savings.
In another study where researchers looked at socioeconomically disadvantaged smokers, it was found that offering small incentives could double the rate of smoking cessation. This study was performed by researchers from University of Texas Health Center in Houston and was published in American Journal of Public Health.
Speaking of financial incentives, switching to ecigarettes is generally more cost-efficient that sticking to cigarette smoking. One ecig cartridge is equivalent to a pack of cigarettes at a fraction of cigarette’s cost.
Statistics show that smoking rates remain stubbornly high among those socioeconomically challenged people. Officials reason out that this is because these people are difficult to be reached by tobacco control measures. However, if the officials will allow them to use ecigs, there is high probability they will give up smoking or even reduce their cigarette consumption.