Tobacco is a very addictive drug and many smokers have tried
unsuccessfully for years to give them up.
So with the invention and the increased popularity of the electronic
cigarettes, many smokers are now using them as a way to break the habit. However, there is very little evidence that
electronic cigarettes actually work at stopping cigarette smoking, suggests a
new report by Alere Wellbeing.
According to the recent report, nearly one third of smokers
who wish to quit have tried electronic cigarettes, as part of the quitting
strategy. However, surprisingly, the
report suggests that those who relied on e-cigarettes did not succeed as well
as those did not. The statistics show
that about 20% of those who were using e-cigarettes were still off tobacco
products for seven months later. While,
for with those who tried to quit and did not use electronic cigarettes, 30% of
that sample group were still off smokes seven months later.
Electronic cigarettes are battery-powered apparatuses that
provide a user with a vapor, infused with nicotine and a flavor. Sometimes the
flavor is intended to mimic a regular cigarette and for others it is a more fun
flavor such as strawberry or blackberry.
They do not contain any of the other contents of a normal cigarette,
such as tar or smoke, the most deadly constituents of tobacco.
While the vaporizers have taken off in popularity in recent
years, including heavy online advertising and even commercials during the 2013
Super Bowl, there little is known about them, from either a positive or
negative perspective – and in terms of health or as an aid to quit smoking.
The researches state that because almost one third of those
who smoke cigarettes have tried an e-cig, in-depth studies should be done. It may be true that electronic cigarettes
will help people reduce their consumption of harmful tobacco products or help
them quit altogether. However, to date, there has been no comprehensive, double
blind clinical trial, regarding the matter.
Alere Wellbeing is a company that offers tobacco cessation
courses, along with weight loss programs.
They have a close association with the American Cancer Society and
American Diabetes Association and offer smoking and weight management
programmes to companies across the country.
Alere Wellbeing also maintain a research and evaluation
division, which undertook the recent survey.
The research consisted of following approximately twenty five hundred
participants in their QuitforLife, smoking cessation program for a seven-month
period. After the seven months, the
participants partook a questionnaire, which involved an in-depth analysis of
their success and quitting aids.
The results showed that about 30% of the interviewees used
an electronic cigarette during that period, with just less than 10% using them
regularly. The most common reason given
for using e-cigs was to help quit or to reduce the number of cigarette
smoked. The researches suggests that
this indicates that many users believe that the electronic cigarette will help
them quit.
However, the FDA has not endorsed the devices as a
smoking-quitting aid and has warned against companies claiming that they are
such. But it appears that the message is out that they do help.
So the recent study by Alere Wellbeing does not confirm
either way how effective that electronic cigarettes are. Therefore, to make
rational decisions on how best to advise users and those wishing to quit,
independent clinical studies are recommended.
Article Credit: http://cigarettee.com
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