While these research findings provide some promising evidence that nicotine e-cigarettes may assist smokers to quit, it is important to recognise that the study did not formally compare the use of e-cigarettes with other effective approaches to smoking cessation, such as nicotine replacement therapy or pharmacotherapy (e.g., varenicline, cytisine).

It is also important to note that those receiving nicotine e-cigarettes also received counselling. This is important as e-cigarettes are not approved as a smoking cessation device and have not been independently tested for quality, safety, and efficacy by the Therapeutic Goods Administration. They must be used under medical supervision so that your doctor can monitor any adverse effects and ensure the nicotine being delivered is appropriate.

It is critical that those who use e-cigarettes to quit smoking are then supported to quit the use of e-cigarettes. These products contain harmful chemicals and ongoing use is not recommended.

This large (n=1246), well-conducted, open-label, randomised controlled trial found that e-cigarettes with nicotine combined with standard counselling were substantially more effective in helping motivated smokers to quit than standard counselling alone. After 6 months, 28.9% of smokers in the intervention group were continuously abstinent from the quit date compared to 16.3% in the control group (relative risk 1.77). The results are in line with those of the Cochrane review and support the use of vaping nicotine as an effective quit-smoking aid.

About half of the abstainers in the intervention group continued to vape at the end of the study. Continued vaping carries only a small fraction of the risk of smoking and can help to prevent relapse. Some continuing vapers will cease vaping over time. 

Importantly, vaping was well tolerated with no increase in severe adverse effects. Respiratory symptoms improved in the intervention group to a larger extent than for subjects in the control group.

The results support the findings from other research and suggest that vaping nicotine is an effective quitting aid with a good safety profile. Australian doctors should feel more confident in prescribing vaping products for their smoking patients, especially those unable to quit with other methods.