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Vaping Now Recommended for Smokers Quitting
18 Aug
Summary
- E-cigarettes are recommended alongside other smoking cessation tools.
- Vaping is less harmful and more effective than traditional NRTs.
- Guidelines emphasize complete abstinence from cigarettes first.
Clinical guidelines now recommend e-cigarettes as a tool to help adults quit smoking. These recommendations, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, position vaping alongside established methods like nicotine replacement therapies and medications.
The expert panel emphasizes that while e-cigarettes carry risks, they are less harmful than combustible tobacco. Evidence suggests vaping is more effective than traditional nicotine replacement therapies in achieving higher quit rates.
Doctors are advised to engage in shared decision-making with patients about the best quit strategy. If a patient chooses vaping, behavioral support should focus on complete cigarette cessation, with a set quit date for smoking. After successfully quitting cigarettes, patients may be advised to reduce nicotine intake from vaping.
The guidelines were developed by the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco's Harm Reduction Workgroup. This initiative aims to provide clinicians with practical tools to help smokers transition away from combustible tobacco and improve their health.
