E-cigarettes help smokers quit even without specialist support, randomized trial finds
A randomized controlled trial from Queen Mary University of London indicates that e-cigarettes are effective for smoking cessation even without ongoing behavioral counseling. The study found that participants using e-cigarettes were significantly more likely to quit than those using automated messaging alone.
Why it matters
This research provides evidence that e-cigarettes can serve as a standalone public health tool for smoking cessation, potentially reducing the burden on healthcare systems.
edited by Gaby Clark , reviewed by Robert Egan
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Add to Preferred Sources Credit: Boys in Bristol Photography from Pexels A new study by Queen Mary University of London has found that e-cigarettes can help people quit smoking even without ongoing behavioral support.
The randomized controlled trial, published in NEJM Evidence and involving 1,170 adults given e-cigarettes, found that 11.3% of participants given e-cigarettes alone successfully quit smoking for six months, compared with 6.4% of those who received automated NHS stop-smoking messages—making them 76% more likely to quit.
Adding telephone-based behavioral support nearly doubled quit rates. Among participants receiving e-cigarettes alongside counseling, 21.1% successfully stopped smoking for six months, compared with 11.3% receiving e-cigarettes alone.
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