Electronic cigarettes confirms its effectiveness to quit smoking

A new study carried out with 19,000 British smokers shows that those who used an electronic cigarette or taken from Varénicline were the most numerous to quit smoking.

Gums, nicotinic patches, behavioral therapies, drugs, electronic cigarettes, hypnosis ... In terms of smoking withdrawal, smokers are spoiled for choice. But among all these methods, is there one that stands out? In January 2019, a study had already shown that electronic cigarettes were twice as effective as classic nicotine substitutes to quit smoking. A new major study, published on May 22 in the journal Addiction, confirms that electronic cigarettes but also a drug (Varénicline) would most often be associated with success.

The authors of the study, four researchers from the University College London (England) analyzed the responses to a questionnaire of nearly 19,000 smokers. Everyone was over 16 at the time of the study, lived in England and had at least one attempt to stop in the previous year the questionnaire. A little more than half of them used one or more withdrawal aids. Nicotine substitutes (patches, erasers, nicotine sprays), prescribed by a doctor or directly purchased in pharmacy, were by far the most popular, with 36% of the participants who used aid. Next come the electronic cigarette (12.7% users), Varénicline (Champix) with 5.5% users and behavioral therapies (4.6%).

Electronic cigarette and Varénicline

In total, 16% of the participants had arrested smoking at a time when the study was conducted, mostly people who used weaning aid. However, 16.8% of these repentant smokers arrived there without any help. For the others, the results show that the electronic cigarette and the Varénicline are the most effective means, with respectively 95% and 82% more success rate for their users compared to those who have not taken anything. Smokers who have been prescribed a nicotinic substitute by a healthcare professional have registered an additional success rate of 34%.

If the electronic cigarette is recognized as being much less harmful than tobacco and as an effective withdrawal aid, its potential long -term impacts are still unknown. As for Varénicline, known as Champix trade, it is a molecule capable of imitating the action of nicotine in the brain. It reduces the pleasure of smoking by reducing the sensitivity of the nervous system to nicotine. On the other hand, it is not without undesirable effects (nausea, insomnia, headache ...). Note that one of the authors of the study has a link of interest with Pfizer, and another with Pfizer, Glaxosmithkline and Johnson and Johnson, which are all companies manufacturing drugs like Champix to quit smoking.

"Those who stop at the beginning of their adult life avoid almost all excesses of mortality and find an average of 10 years of life expectancy."

-The authors of the study

The study also shows that according to age, the level of addiction and the socio-economic status of participants, the aid used had more or less efficiency. For example, the prescription of nicotine substitutes was the most effective help in the older ones. On the contrary, internet support worked less well for them. Another example: hypnotherapy, telephone coaching and on the Internet have proved to be less effective in smokers with a strong addiction.

"Stop smoking reduces the risk of chronic disease and increases life expectancy," recall researchers in their study. "The more the smokers stop early, the more the weaning is beneficial. And those who stop at the beginning of their adult life avoid almost all excesses of mortality and find an average of 10 years of life expectancy. " Hence the interest of putting all the odds on its side from the first attempt using the best aid.

05/24/2019 by Le Figaro, Cécile Thibert. https://www.sante.lefigaro.fr/