E-cigarettes more effective than counselling alone for smoking cessation

However, researchers cautioned that because the health effects of e-cigarettes are unknown, and they should not be used for any purpose other than smoking cessation.

Eisenberg said that there is evidence that some e-cigarette users try vaping to cut down on smoking, though only a few clinical trials have assessed the use of e-cigarettes as a smoking cessation tool, with somewhat mixed results.

Further research is needed to elucidate potential health impacts of vaping, but Eisenberg said that they should be avoided by youths and anyone who does not smoke.

The new trial was designed to reflect the real-world conditions lifelong smokers face when attempting to quit. Researchers enrolled 376 participants at 17 sites in Canada. Participants were an average of 53 years old, had smoked for an average of 35 years and smoked an average of 21 cigarettes a day before the study. All participants were motivated to quit. Ninety-one percent had previously attempted to quit but failed, and the majority had previously tried smoking cessation medications or behavioral therapy without success.