Can electronic
cigarettes help me quit smoking?
There is a lot
of anecdotal evidence and even some scientific research surveys that strongly
indicate that e-cigarettes are an effective alternative to smoking. Surveys
show that up to 80% of e-cigarette users quit smoking traditional cigarettes while
using e-cigarettes.
However, while
some users have gradually reduced the nicotine levels down to zero, the
majority of e-cigarette users treat the devices as an alternate source of
nicotine and not as a nicotine cessation program. So there is not as much
scientific evidence yet that show how effective e-cigarettes are when used to
treat or cure nicotine addiction. Yet, anecdotal reports by users who have used
e-cigarettes as a way to wean from nicotine also indicates they seem to be very
effective way to break smoking triggers and dramatically reduce nicotine
levels. As with pharmaceutical NRTs, it depends upon the smoker and the
strength of his or her addiction and resolve to quit. E-cigarettes also appear
to be a much safer option for short-term use in the event of relapse.
The good news
is nicotine by itself has very low health risks, so switching to e-cigarettes
can be nearly as good as quitting altogether. The most important thing for
those who cannot or will not quit nicotine to do is to stop the exposure to the
harmful chemicals in cigarette smoke and e-cigarettes can help them do it.