All articles tagged with #smoking cessation
A large observational study from Seoul National University finds that former smokers who switch to vaping face a 56% higher risk of developing lung cancer and a 91% higher risk of dying from it compared to those who quit entirely. While experts debate vaping as a harm-reduction tool for current smokers, the new data suggests it may not be a safe long-term alternative for those trying to quit.
Nicotine products vary in harm based on delivery method, not just the substance itself. While combustible cigarettes cause the most damage due to burning tobacco, newer products like vapes and nicotine pouches reduce exposure to toxic chemicals but remain addictive. FDA-approved nicotine replacement therapy offers the safest path for quitting, whereas commercial pouches and e-cigarettes are not regulated as cessation aids. Long-term health effects of these newer products remain unclear, particularly for non-smokers and adolescents.
A major updated Cochrane review involving nearly 30,000 participants confirms that regulated nicotine e-cigarettes are more effective than traditional nicotine replacement therapies, such as patches and gum, for helping adults quit smoking. While the evidence highlights a significant reduction in harm compared to combustible tobacco, experts emphasize that vaping is not risk-free and should be used as a transitional step toward complete nicotine cessation rather than a permanent solution.
An updated Cochrane review of 80 trials involving nearly 30,000 participants confirms that nicotine e-cigarettes are more effective than traditional nicotine replacement therapies (NRT) like patches and gums for quitting smoking. The review found that approximately 10% of users of nicotine vapes quit successfully at six months, compared to 6% for NRT users. While the evidence is rated high certainty for short-term efficacy, experts caution that long-term health risks remain unknown and that the findings apply only to regulated devices, not illicit or unregulated products.
A major Cochrane review of 80 trials involving nearly 30,000 participants confirms that regulated nicotine e-cigarettes are more effective than nicotine replacement therapies (NRT) like patches and gum for helping smokers quit. The study found that approximately 8-10 out of 100 smokers succeed with vapes, compared to 6 out of 100 with NRT. While experts emphasize that vapes are less harmful than smoking, they caution that long-term health effects are not yet fully understood and that the data does not address whether users eventually quit vaping entirely.
A major Cochrane review of 80 trials involving nearly 30,000 people finds that regulated nicotine e-cigarettes are the most effective tool for quitting smoking, outperforming patches, gum, and counseling by approximately 60%. While vaping is significantly safer than smoking, experts warn that long-term health risks remain unclear, and unregulated devices pose serious safety hazards.
A TOI Health piece explains that while smoking is the main preventable lung-cancer risk, other factors—indoor radon, air pollution, secondhand smoke, and workplace exposures—also raise risk. Quitting tobacco remains the strongest prevention, with risk decreasing over time; vaping is not risk-free, and switching to other forms of tobacco doesn’t eliminate danger. Prevention includes testing for radon, improving home ventilation, and reducing exposure at work, as well as maintaining a healthy lifestyle. For some high-risk adults, annual low-dose CT screening may help detect cancer earlier, but screening should be personalized by a clinician and follow country-specific guidelines.
A JAMA guidance from the Society for Research on Nicotine & Tobacco Treatment Research Network recommends clinicians discuss nicotine e-cigarettes as an evidence-based option for adult smokers seeking to quit, alongside nicotine patches and gums. The recommendations cite evidence of modestly higher six-month quit rates with nicotine e-cigarettes and reduced exposure to toxicants compared with combustible cigarettes, while noting that long‑term health effects are not yet established and no vaping product has FDA approval as a cessation therapy. The guidance emphasizes shared decision-making, the use of FDA-authorized products when possible, and addresses youth-vaping concerns, with an accompanying editorial acknowledging remaining uncertainties and industry funding.
A 29-year-old Worcester man with paranoid schizophrenia died from clozapine toxicity after stopping smoking; the inquest heard that cessation likely raised the medication’s levels in his blood. He was taking 525 mg nightly, and he should have informed his psychiatrist if he stopped smoking so the dose could be adjusted. The coroner urged clearer guidance for doctors on adjusting anti-psychotic dosages when patients quit smoking to prevent similar deaths.
A large Korean study of 32,316 matched former smokers followed for about 4.6 years found that those who switched to electronic cigarettes or other smokeless nicotine products had a higher risk of major eye diseases than those who quit nicotine entirely. Specifically, switchers had a 24% higher risk of diabetic retinopathy and a 7% higher risk of refractive/accommodation disorders, with quitters showing 41.1 vs 44 cases per 1,000 person-years. The study observed 6,328 eye-disease events overall. Authors caution that the retrospective, self-reported data cannot prove causation, but the findings suggest substituting nicotine products may not eliminate eye-disease risk.
A 32,000-plus US study of dementia-free adults followed for 25 years found that quitting smoking in later life is linked to a 16% lower dementia risk and slower cognitive decline, with the benefit strongest when weight gain after quitting is minimal. Gaining more than 10 kg tended to negate the dementia risk reduction, suggesting weight management should accompany smoking cessation to maximize brain health.
A BBC Health report describes a randomized trial where a single high dose of psilocybin (about 30 mg, with 10 CBT sessions) plus talk therapy led to significantly higher smoking cessation than nicotine patches: 52% abstinent at six months in 82 participants vs 25% in the patch group. These findings, echoing earlier smaller studies, suggest psychedelics can trigger neuroplastic changes and a shift in priorities that support quitting, and are driving a larger NIH-funded, multi-site follow-up study to confirm efficacy and understand mechanisms. However, experts caution the sample was small and not highly diverse, so results may not generalize, and long-term safety and durability remain to be seen.
Vaping can aid quitting, but its real payoff comes when it fully replaces cigarettes rather than being used in addition. Randomized trials show e-cigarettes can outperform single-form NRT with behavioral support, yet population data reveal widespread dual use that limits benefits. Successful quitting is strongest when smokers adopt a complete switch, paired with tailored nicotine strength, behavioral support, and ongoing device adjustments; partial switching sustains nicotine dependence and keeps health risks elevated.
A global overview of 14 systematic reviews (2014–2023) finds nicotine-containing e-cigarettes more effective for long-term smoking cessation than nicotine replacement therapy, non-nicotine e-cigarettes, or behavioral support, with higher-quality evidence showing consistent benefits. However, safety data remain inconclusive and there are gaps, notably a lack of high-quality trials comparing e-cigarettes with cytisine, bupropion, nicotine pouches, or varenicline and limited data from low- and middle-income countries. The authors call for more primary research, including adverse-event monitoring across diverse settings, to fully understand risks and global applicability.
A Johns Hopkins study found that a single high dose of psilocybin paired with cognitive behavioral therapy helped more smokers quit after six months than nicotine patches, with 17 abstinent in the psilocybin group versus 4 in the patch group and roughly 50% fewer cigarettes on average between the quit date and six-month follow-up. The study notes limitations (no placebo, participants were mostly educated and not racially diverse, and many had prior psychedelic experience) and plans a larger trial to confirm efficacy and explore scalability and cost-efficiency.