Cigarette smoking is a hazardous habit and can cause serious health risks over time. However, many smokers struggle to quit because they become addicted to the nicotine found in these tobacco products. 

Those who habitually smoke increase their craving for nicotine. Simultaneously, it also boosts their conscious need for its effects on the mind and body. As a result, nicotine addiction is now commonly identified as a behavioral and psychological problem.

Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT)

Several smokers often seek treatments to help them break their smoking habit and permanently quit. These treatments are referred to as Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NTR) where it aims to reduce the intensity of psychological withdrawal symptoms experienced among heavy smokers.

NTR is a beneficial form of treatment because it helps smokers control their nicotine intake until they become comfortable without it. Treatments can be done through several different methods, such as using nicotine patches, vaping, nasal sprays, lozenges, and nicotine gum. However, it is also important to remember that not all forms of treatment and alternatives are equal, nor do they produce the same results for everyone. 

Vaping is considered the most popular form of quitting aid among smokers due to its wide range of availability. Additionally, a recent UK study also clarified that vaping is better than smoking by a considerable amount due to promoting fewer to no health risks among its users. 

Overview of the Study

A study from Public Health England (PHE) presents results from several test subjects that set a quit date and successfully achieved the goal by the four-week follow-up period. Additionally, it also shows an in-depth analysis of the service's key measures, including age, gender, socio-economic status, and pregnant women. 

The data is also broken down based on which region and ethnic group the subject belonged to and the type of pharmacotherapy method they received. Results of the study are provided at a local, regional, and national authority level. 

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, PHE made changes to the terms of their regular statistical productions. As a result, the dataset and output for the collection of Stop Smoking Services were temporarily paused for spring and summer 2020. 

Publication for these data collections was also made later compared to previous collection years to support the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. PHE scheduled the original publication date and was to release it on the 29th of October 2020 but was delayed due to operational causes. 

Implications for Smokers

Key results from the study show that nicotine vaping products were the most popular type of aid (27.2%) used by smokers in England who wanted to quit in 2020. The results imply that this could be due to the similar feeling vaping provides to cigarette smokers. 

In 2017, PHE also estimated that over 50,000 cigarette smokers could successfully stop smoking with the aid of vaping products. Many could also correlate this to the rising popularity of vaping and e-cigarettes which were promoted to be better alternatives to smoking. Depending on the type of fluid used for vape products, smokers can also control their nicotine levels and intake. 

In 2020, the study also noted around 38% of smokers believe that vaping could be just as harmful as cigarette smoking. On the other hand, 15% of the respondents stated that they believed vaping to be more dangerous than regular smoking. 

While these respondents may believe vaping to be the more harmful alternative, there are no current studies that support this claim. Further studies also show that there are also no apparent risks to other individuals if they come across second-hand smoke from vapes and e-cigarettes. This makes vaping better than smoking for not only the smoker but others around them as well.  

Further results from PHE's study also provide data that correlates vaping and quit attempts in local Stop Smoking Services. The results show that using a vaping product prove to have the highest quit success rates that range from 59.7% and 74% in 2019 and 2020, respectively.

PHE states that vaping is 95% safer than smoking and removes nearly all possible health risks that tobacco products promote.

Road to Breaking the Habit

Habitual smoking can cause serious health risks that are often difficult to treat. While many smokers claim to have a desire to quit, many often struggle because of the addictive properties of nicotine. As a result, many smokers often opt to use vape products as a relatively safer alternative to smoking. 

Thanks to its growing popularity, more and more smokers rely on vapes as part of their quit attempts. However, when you’re out and about buying vaping products, be sure to stick to authorized, certified brands that meet standards and regulations.