A new study has found that using vapes, also known as vaporized nicotine products (VNPs), can help people quit smoking more effectively than traditional nicotine gum or lozenges—especially among people facing financial and social challenges.
The research, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, focused on people from low socioeconomic backgrounds in New South Wales, Australia.
This group is more likely to be harmed by smoking and often faces more difficulty quitting.
The study was led by researchers from the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC) at UNSW Sydney.
More than 1,000 people took part in the study between March 2021 and December 2022. All participants were adults who smoked daily, were receiving government support such as a pension or allowance, and were ready to try quitting smoking within two weeks.
Participants were split into two groups. One group received a standard nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) like gum or lozenges for eight weeks. The other group received a supply of nicotine e-liquid to use in vapes, with a choice between different devices and flavors such as tobacco, menthol, or fruit. Both groups also got supportive text messages for five weeks to help them stay on track with quitting.
After six months, the results were clear: about 28% of the people who used vapes had quit smoking, compared to just under 10% of those who used gum or lozenges. This means people in the vaping group were nearly three times more likely to stay smoke-free.
The researchers also looked at different groups within the study—such as people with mental health challenges, different age ranges, and levels of nicotine addiction—and found that vaping was more effective across the board.
This is the largest study so far to compare vaping with other quit-smoking methods in a disadvantaged population. While vapes are not risk-free, the findings suggest they may play an important role in helping people quit smoking, especially those who are more vulnerable to the harms of tobacco use.
The researchers say their results could help shape public health policies by supporting the use of vaping as a tool to reduce smoking rates, not just for low-income groups but for the wider population as well.
If you care about smoking, please read studies about why some non-smokers get lung disease and some heavy smokers do not, and smoking cessation drug may help treat Parkinson’s disease.
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