LIFESTYLE | E-cigarettes, nicotine pouches, heated tobacco offer path to quitting smoking

Vapes, heated tobacco, nicotine pouches and other smoke-free harm reduction products are the most effective tools to quit smoking, according to a World Vapers Alliance (WVA) report.

The report found vaping to be twice as effective for quitting smoking as nicotine replacement therapies. The National Health Service in the United Kingdom has begun trials providing e-cigarettes to smokers.

The WVA said scientific studies show that harm reduction works. It added that e-cigarettes are at least 95 percent less harmful than traditional cigarettes, a finding supported by Public Health England.

In the report “Rethinking Tobacco Control: 20 Harm-Reduction Lessons the FCTC Should Take Note Of,” the WVA said the World Health Organization’s Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, which marks its 20th anniversary in 2025, should consider these harm reduction tools to help smokers quit.

“The FCTC’s stubborn refusal to acknowledge the potential of harm-reduction strategies, particularly vaping, nicotine pouches and heat-not-burn products, has not only hindered smoking cessation efforts but has likely cost millions of lives,” the WVA said.

Human biomarker studies demonstrate the harm-reduction potential of these smoke-free alternatives. “Even partial switching to less harmful alternatives can be a step toward complete smoking cessation. This gradual approach can be less daunting for some smokers,” the WVA said.

Scientific studies show the primary cause of smoking-related diseases is the combustion of tobacco, which releases thousands of toxic chemicals. Smoke-free nicotine products eliminate combustion, thus reducing exposure to harmful substances.

French oncologist Dr. David Khayat, speaking to Cypriot newspaper Phileleftheros, said transitioning smokers to these smoke-free alternatives could lower cancer risk. He cited scientific studies showing that the number and concentration of substances produced from smoking are related to high temperatures that occur during combustion.

The Nicotine Consumers Union of the Philippines agreed with the report, saying smokers now have many options. “Whether it is e-cigarettes, heated tobacco or nicotine pouches, consumers should be allowed to choose products which are less harmful to them,” said NCUP President Anton Israel.

Researchers from Brighton and Sussex Medical School published a study in Oxford Academic in February 2024, showing that smokers who recognized vaping as less harmful than smoking were more likely to make the switch six years later.

The research, supported by the U.K. Medical Research Council, Wellcome, the University of Bristol, Cancer Research U.K. and the Society for the Study of Addiction, highlights the need to correct public misperceptions about vaping.

The WVA said vaping, or the use of e-cigarettes, has changed the lives of millions of smokers and could change countless more if regulators listen to those whose lives have improved by vaping.

The WVA report noted success stories from countries like Sweden, the United Kingdom and New Zealand, which demonstrate that evidence-based approaches can lead to reductions in smoking rates. Those countries adopted evidence-based, risk-proportionate approaches to tobacco harm reduction, resulting in significant reductions in adult smoking rates.

“As we move forward, it’s crucial to embrace these evidence-based approaches that can save lives and improve public health outcomes. Policymakers should consider the full spectrum of harm-reduction tools available, including vaping products with a variety of flavors and nicotine pouches, to provide smokers with the best possible chance of quitting,” the report said.

“By doing so, we can accelerate the decline in smoking rates and significantly reduce the burden of smoking-related diseases on our healthcare systems and society as a whole,” it said.

The report said nicotine is not the primary harm from smoking; tar and combustion are. Understanding this distinction is crucial for effective harm reduction.

“Understanding the varying levels of risk among nicotine products is essential for effective policy. Nicotine pouches, for instance, sit furthest away from cigarettes on the relative risk scale,” it said.

Smokers switching to vaping show vascular health improvements within days. This can be a motivator for continued use, the WVA said.

“Current evidence suggests that vaping use is primarily limited to former users of traditional tobacco products. About 97 percent of vapers are former smokers,” the WVA said.

The WVA was established to defend vaping by providing a platform for vapers’ voices to be heard. Its new report examines missed opportunities and highlights lessons that could accelerate progress toward a smoke-free world, focusing on harm reduction in tobacco control.

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