Prescrire international
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Prescrire international · Nov 2015
Review Comparative StudyE-cigarettes and smoking cessation. Similar efficacy to other nicotine delivery devices, but many uncertainties.
E-cigarettes, marketed as an alternative to conventional cigarettes, are designed to transform a solution of variable composition, with or without nicotine, into an aerosol that the user inhales. How effective are e-cigarettes as an aid to smoking cessation, and what are their known adverse effects? To answer these questions, we conducted a review of the literature using the standard Prescrire methodology. A randomised trial involving 657 individuals who wanted to stop smoking compared e-cigarettes (with or without nicotine) with nicotine patches. ⋯ Apart from the effects of nicotine, there are few known adverse effects. However, there are many uncertainties as to the composition of the different e-liquids and the long-term effects of the substances when they are heated and inhaled. There is no reason to discourage smokers from substituting the proven, serious harms of tobacco smoke with the potential and poorly defined harms associated with e-cigarettes.