E-cigarettes can aid smoking cessation
February 28, 2024
Source: Aur, R et al New Engl J Med February 15, 2024 LINK
Many public health authorities worry that e-cigarettes, especially those available in sweet flavors, could be a gateway to cigarette smoking. There is general agreement that e-cigarettes have substantially less risk than traditional cigarettes, but that they deliver highly-addictive nicotine. Some have suggested that e-cigarettes could be useful for those who are trying to quit smoking.
A new Swiss study published in the New England Journal shows that smokers seeking to quit who were offered e-cigarettes had a higher success rate at staying off cigarettes, but were less likely to have stopped using nicotine altogether. The study was large (1246 enrollees) and randomized, so success is likely not to be related to differences between the intervention and the control group. Nicotine is addictive and associated with high blood pressure and “hardening” of the arteries, so helping smokers get off nicotine products altogether is better for long term health. Nonetheless, smoking remains the leading cause of preventable death, so it’s good to have one more tool to help smokers quit.
An accompanying editorial concluded “E-cigarettes are neither completely harmless nor “magic bullets” that help every tobacco smoker quit, but they can and do help some”
Implications for employers:
Employers should continue to provide coverage for tobacco cessation counseling and medications to help employees try to quit.
E-cigarettes are not considered tobacco cessation mediations.
Employers should continue to prohibit smoking of any sort, including cigarettes, in the workplace to avoid worsening indoor air quality.
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Tomorrow: Exercise program helps prevent some weight gain after cessation of anti-obesity drug therapy