NAIROBI, Kenya Aug 26 – Nicotine-containing electronic cigarettes, commonly known as e-cigarettes or vapes, can help more people quit smoking than traditional nicotine replacement therapies such as patches and gum, according to one of the world’s most comprehensive reviews of evidence on smoking cessation that was published today.

📻 Breaking It Down

The findings come from the Cochrane Review titled “Electronic cigarettes for smoking cessation”, a major international evidence review conducted by Cochrane, the global independent research network renowned for producing some of the most trusted assessments of healthcare interventions worldwide.

Drawing on data from 80 studies involving 29,861 smokers, the review found strong evidence that

nicotine-containing e-cigarettes are more effective at helping people quit smoking than traditional nicotine replacement therapies such as patches and gum.

📌 What You Need to Know

The findings arrive at a pivotal moment for Kenya, where lawmakers are considering proposals that could significantly shape the future regulation of emerging nicotine products, including vapes and nicotine pouches. The Tobacco Control (Amendment) Bill, 2024, is currently before the National Assembly’s Departmental Committee on Health following its passage by the Senate.

The Bill seeks to establish a legal and regulatory framework for emerging nicotine and tobacco products and has become the focus of an active national debate involving public health stakeholders, businesses, consumers, and policymakers.

The review found that nicotine e-cigarettes helped more people quit smoking for at least six months than nicotine replacement therapies, including patches and chewing gum. Researchers also found that nicotine-containing e-cigarettes were more effective than e-cigarettes that did not contain nicotine.

According to the review, the evidence supporting the effectiveness of nicotine e-cigarettes is now considered high certainty, meaning further research is unlikely to change confidence in the overall conclusion.

The review additionally found that nicotine e-cigarettes may help more people quit smoking compared with behavioural support alone or no smoking cessation support, although the evidence for these comparisons is less certain.

Researchers reported no strong evidence that nicotine e-cigarettes used for smoking cessation are associated with an increased risk of serious adverse events. Serious unwanted effects were uncommon across studies.

📰 Source: Capital FM Kenya