An internationally-respected network of health researchers, Cochrane, has published a comprehensive systematic review providing strong evidence that nicotine-containing e-cigarettes effectively help adult smokers quit traditional cigarettes.
The review found that e-cigarettes are more successful than conventional nicotine replacement therapies (NRT) such as patches and gum in helping smokers remain smoke-free for at least six months.
The systematic review, “Electronic cigarettes for smoking cessation”, synthesized data from 104 studies encompassing 30,366 adult smokers, with most evidence sourced from the United States and the United Kingdom.
The findings indicate a distinct benefit for nicotine e-cigarettes: out of every 100 smokers who use them to quit, between 8 and 11 remain smoke-free for at least six months. This success rate surpasses that of conventional NRT, which assists about 6 in 100 smokers to quit. The study also suggests nicotine e-cigarettes are likely more effective than non-nicotine versions, which show similar quit rates to NRT.
The study, led by Nicola Lindson of Oxford’s Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, reached a conclusion with high-certainty evidence that nicotine e-cigarettes improve quit rates compared to traditional NRT. The researchers also reported moderate-certainty evidence that nicotine e-cigarettes are more effective than non-nicotine versions, reinforcing the critical role of nicotine delivery in their success.
The review contributes substantial evidence to the global discussion on vapor product regulation and reinforces the rationale behind the Philippines’ Vape Law (Republic Act No. 11900), which sets clear rules for these products, including age restrictions barring sales to minors.
E-cigarettes, alongside nicotine pouches and heat-not-burn products, are considered tools for tobacco harm reduction, a public health strategy aimed at mitigating the risks associated with smoking.
The Nicotine Consumers Union of the Philippines (NCUP) referenced numerous international studies indicating vaping is approximately 95 percent less harmful than smoking traditional cigarettes. This is largely because e-cigarettes operate by heating a liquid to create an inhalable vapor, avoiding the combustion of tobacco. These studies emphasize that smoke, rather than nicotine itself, is the primary cause of tobacco-related disease and mortality.
Vaper Ako, a consumer advocacy group, noted that less harmful alternatives have helped many Filipinos move away from the health dangers of smoking. “Adult smokers deserve access to accurate information and less harmful alternatives,” the group said.
“Smoking causes a massive burden of death and disease worldwide, killing about 8 million people annually,” said Dr. David Nutt of Imperial College London.
“We now have vaping and other less harmful alternatives to cigarettes that can dramatically cut the risks for people who cannot or do not want to quit using nicotine,” he said.
Dr. Nutt is one of more than 40 independent experts in medicine, pharmacology, psychology and public health who recently issued a joint statement calling on the World Health Organization (WHO) to strengthen its tobacco control strategy by following the science and embracing harm reduction.
