E-cigarettes can help people quit smoking, even without expert advice, while telephone support enhances the chances of success, according to a study conducted by Queen Mary University of London.
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The study, published in the journal NEJM Evidence, included about 1,170 adults and compared the use of e-cigarettes alone with their use in conjunction with telephone counseling and receiving automated quit-aid messages from the UK's National Health Service (NHS).
The results showed the smoking cessation rates after six months as follows:
Thus, the chances of quitting among e-cigarette users alone increased by 76% compared to those who received automated messages, while the success rate among those who received telephone consultations was nearly double the rate recorded in the first group.
Follow-up after 12 months showed continued disparity between groups, with quit rates reaching:
Dr. Katie Myers-Smith, lead author of the study and lecturer in health psychology at Queen Mary University, said that expert counseling is not a requirement for benefiting from e-cigarettes, but it may significantly enhance the chances of success.
She added that the results of the experiment support facilitating access to quit-training aids, without requiring consultations, while providing additional support for those who wish to receive it.
Hayden McRobbie, a professor of population health at Queen Mary University, said that e-cigarettes may benefit people who are unable or unwilling to attend regular counseling sessions, with the continued provision of telephone support being important to enhance the chances of success.
Although e-cigarettes are much less harmful than traditional smoking, they are not without health risks, and the long-term effects of their use are still being studied.
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