Latest News – E-Cigarettes Stopped Users from Smoking

Dutch study finds that vapers would still be smoking if not for E-Cigarettes

9 February 2022 | Hannah Rubery

More and more nowadays we hear vaping coming under fire by regulatory boards and governments that continue to ignore facts. The WHO continues to promote claims of increased harm, or that vaping leads to an increase in smokers especially seen in young adults. It’s a problem that could potentially waylay smokers looking to quit. Here in the UK, we continue to push vaping as a less harmful alternative to smoking, with the NHS continuing to show support and challenge these views.

Several studies over the last few years have reported an increase in beliefs that vaping is as equally or more harmful than smoking, a notion that has been denied time and time again by experts. But the fact that public belief is still high on this matter should be a cause for concern. It is for this reason that we here at Pod Salt, and many within the UK, continue to try and quell misinformation so that the public understand the risks and benefits of vaping.

Dutch study finds that vaping helped 75% of smokers quit

A recent study conducted on behalf of Esigbond (a Dutch trade association) and Acvoda (a consumer organisation), found that three-quarters of Dutch E-Cigarette users would still be smoking if they hadn’t been able to switch to E-Cigarettes. These results not only continue to push the findings of many other studies conducted around the world but also illustrate just how powerful vaping has grown as a tool for smoking cessation.

The survey of nearly 3000 vapers also looked at whether they had attempted prior cessation means for smoking. It found that the Dutch vapers on average attempted 5.1 cessation attempts before switching from cigarettes to E-Cigarettes. And possibly most importantly, 9 out of 10 of these E-Cigarette users noted health improvements such as a better condition and less coughing after switching.

Although not all E-Cigarette users from the survey had managed to completely switch to vaping (13% of those surveyed), more than 90% of them experienced health benefits from switching. 70% noticed a decrease in coughing while 69% noticed a general improvement in their condition. 64% noticed an improved sense of smell and taste while 62% noted less shortness of breath. About 29% of these E-Cigarette users have also had their health improvement confirmed by a doctor.

This survey highlighted many key factors including as more than three-quarters of vapers had tried other smoking cessation aids before and had been dissatisfied with them. It was also noted that former smokers are most negative about nicotine chewing gum, followed by nicotine patches and nicotine sprays. One of the reasons why vaping proves such a successful smoking cessation tool is due to its similarities with smoking, in the way you inhale the vapour and draw on a device.

Another factor that helped with switching were flavours. With 81% of the surveyed vapers saying that flavours in E-Cigarettes played an important role in their switch from smoking to E-Cigarettes, it highlights a worrying problem overseas. In places like the USA and soon Lithuania, flavours are quickly becoming obsolete with many of the popular flavours of E-Liquid becoming illegal, leaving behind only tobacco or menthol flavours. The worry, therefore, is that with the lapse of flavoured E-Liquids, there is potential for putting off those looking to quit smoking.

This research like many before only continues to show the positive benefits of E-Cigarettes and vaping as a smoking cessation tool. Perhaps as more vocal research comes to the forefront, policy leaders will be more inclined to listen to the actual users of E-Cigarettes and experts, than the big tobacco companies attempting to limit vaping.