In America, the vaping industry is under more scrutiny
than ever before, which’s surprising considering the fact that in Europe and
other parts of the world, this new technology is being praised by health
organizations and government officials.
The vaping industry is, as we all know, still relatively new. In fact, it’s only been around for just over
ten years. This means that there’s still
a lot of misinformation out there, and a lack of research behind it.
Still, many studies have been done over recent years
that support the notion that vaping is a great replacement for smoking. And, now, a new study shows that vaping can,
indeed, serve as an effective form of nicotine replacement therapy. The MGH
(Massachusetts General Hospital) Tobacco Research and Treatment Center gathered
data from thousands of participants in order to determine whether or not
electronic cigarette use can stop a patient from smoking for three years. And, the study’s conclusion clearly
demonstrates that this technology is capable of helping a person quit tobacco
for good.
The study utilized data from a recent PATH study as
well as statistics on vaping and smoking in America. We know that about 12 percent of American
adults use cigarettes, and that that number is far lower than it has been in
decades past. We also know that vaping
is becoming more and more popular among American adults, with about one in
twenty people using this technology, and that number is growing every
year. Therefore, it’s safe to see a
correlation between people who vape and people who have recently quit smoking.
The study determined that vaping is just over 75
percent effective as a form of nicotine replacement therapy. The researchers determined this after
observing former smokers using e-cigarettes for three years. Less than 25 percent relapsed during the
period.
It should be pointed out that of the 8,000
participants in the study, almost 80 percent of them had never used an
e-cigarette in their lives. Others had
tried the technology at some point or another, but never after ceasing tobacco
use completely.
The study also stated that e-cigarettes seem to be the
most effective as a smoking cessation tool when used daily. Essentially, when a former smoker feels a
nicotine craving coming on, they should use e-cigarettes rather than trying to
simply allow for it to pass, as this makes the temptation to turn to smoking
stronger.
So, why does vaping seem to be more effective,
according to this study, than nicotine gum and nicotine patches? Experts believe that it has a lot to do with
the way in which the user consumes the nicotine through this technology. Unlike nicotine gum and patches, vaping
allows the user to enjoy something that’s very familiar to the physical act of
smoking. The vapor is inhaled into the
lungs using an electronic device, and the physical sensation feels lot like
inhaling cigarette smoke. Researchers
believe that the physical act of smoking is as addictive as the nicotine
itself, which would explain why vaping has become so enormously popular among
former smokers.
What This Study Means for the Vaping
Industry in the United States
As you probably know, the vaping industry is under
fire at the moment, due largely to misinformation being perpetuated about the
safety of commercial vaping products.
Also, the FDA has been at war with the vaping industry due to the
erroneous belief that vaping products are marketed toward minors. Therefore, you can imagine that the vaping
industry needs positive studies at this point in time.
This study is hugely beneficial to the vaping industry
because it demonstrates how vaping can benefit society. Hundreds of thousands of lives are claimed by
smoking each year, so it’s crucial that we find a way to help people quit
smoking. This study illustrates that
e-cigarettes can do just that, and so perhaps it will influence the FDA to be
more friendly toward this technology.
What’s Next?
At a time when the vaping industry needs the support
of major health organizations in America, the MGH Tobacco Research and
Treatment Center has released a study demonstrating the fact that this
technology can really help people quit.
We hope to see more pro-vaping studies released in the future. Studies like these do help demonstrate how
beneficial this industry can be.
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