Public Health England: Vaping is better than nicotine replacement therapies for smoking cessation

This is the conclusion reached by the seventh independent report on vaping by Public Health England (PHE), conducted by researchers from King's College London and released yesterday.

The detailed findings are as follows:

• Nicotine vaping products were the most used method (27.2%) by smokers in England to quit their harmful habit in 2020.
• It is estimated that in 2017, over 50,000 smokers quit smoking with the help of a vaping product.
• The use of vaping as a cessation aid recorded a record success rate (between 59.7% and 74% for the years 2019-2020).
• In 2020, 38% of smokers believed that vaping was equally harmful as smoking, and 15% believed it caused greater harm to the body.

The report considered all the latest evidence regarding the effectiveness of these products in helping users quit smoking. Additionally, the report provides rich and up-to-date data on the use of vaping products among young people. Furthermore, as mentioned in the report, the rates of vaping among adults and young people remain stable compared to the previous study conducted by Public Health England in March 2020.

Specifically, in England in 2020, nicotine vaping products were the most used method (27.2%) among smokers to quit their harmful habit. A percentage of 18.2% used nicotine substitutes such as gum and nicotine patches, while 4.4% used prescription medications containing varenicline.

As proven by scientific evidence, the use of vaping products has been increasing over the years as a means for users to quit smoking, and the number of successful attempts by individuals to quit smoking once and for all has also increased. It is estimated that in 2017, over 50,000 smokers quit smoking with the help of a vaping product.

Professor John Newton, Director of Health Improvement at Public Health England, states

"Smoking remains the leading cause of premature death and ill health, killing around 75,000 people in 2019. The best thing a smoker can do is to quit their harmful habit, and scientific evidence shows that vaping is one of the most effective ways to do so, helping approximately 50,000 smokers annually. Thousands more could quit smoking if it weren't for all these unfounded fears about vaping. We recommend smokers, especially those who have tried other methods, to switch to vaping, which will help them quit smoking".

Professor Ann McNeill, Professor of Tobacco Addiction at King's College London and author of the report, states

"Our report presents findings from randomized controlled trials, smoking cessation services, and population studies, concluding that nicotine vaping products are an effective way for someone to successfully quit smoking. Our concern is that smokers, especially those from less privileged social groups, mistakenly believe that vaping is equally harmful as smoking. This, of course, is not true. Our goal for 2030 is to have a smoke-free England".