Electronic Cigarettes Are as Effective as Nicotine Patches for Smoking Cessation

Participants who used nicotine-containing e-cigarettes abstained significantly longer than those using placebo e-cigarettes.

Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) — cigarette-shaped, battery-powered, nicotine-vapor delivery devices — are growing rapidly in popularity and might aid in smoking reduction or cessation. But we have little data on their risks and benefits.

Researchers in New Zealand randomized 657 adult smokers who wished to quit smoking to use e-cigarettes containing either nicotine (16 mg) or matching placebo or to nicotine patches (16 mg; 1 daily) for 13 weeks. Participants had access to telephonic or text-message quit support. After 6 months, patients who reported abstinence (≤5 cigarettes since quitting) underwent confirmatory measurements of exhaled carbon monoxide.

The 6-month verified abstinence rates were similar in all three groups (7.3% for nic…

Reviewing Author

Bruce Soloway, MD

Disclosures

Editorial BoardsNew RoAR News (http://www.newroarnews.org)

Bruce Soloway, MD

Disclosures

Editorial BoardsNew RoAR News (http://www.newroarnews.org)

Electronic Cigarettes Are as Effective as Nicotine Patches for Smoking Cessation

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Reviewing Author