Can E-Cigarettes and Pharmaceutical Aids Increase Smoking Cessation and Reduce Cigarette Consumption? Findings From a Nationally Representative Cohort of American Smokers

Introduction:
This text is a summary of a research study examining the relationship between e-cigarette use and smoking cessation. The study uses data from the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study, a nationally representative survey of tobacco use in the United States. The study aims to determine the effectiveness of e-cigarettes as a cessation aid compared to approved pharmaceutical products.

Key Points:

* The study used data from the PATH Study, a nationally representative survey of tobacco use in the US.
* The study focused on quit attempters and used propensity score matching to balance comparison groups on potential confounders.
* At PATH Wave 2, 25.2% of quit attempters reported using e-cigarettes to quit during the previous year.
* Using e-cigarettes to quit cigarettes increased the probability of persistent cigarette abstinence at Wave 2 (risk difference (RD) = 6%, 95% confidence interval (Cl): 2, 10).
* Using approved pharmaceutical aids did not significantly increase the probability of persistent cigarette abstinence at Wave 2.
* Among quit attempters who relapsed, e-cigarettes did not reduce the average daily cigarette consumption.
* The study found that e-cigarettes were the most popular cessation aid among US quit attempters.

Main Message:
The study found that e-cigarettes were more effective in helping smokers quit cigarettes compared to approved pharmaceutical products. However, e-cigarettes did not reduce cigarette consumption among quit attempters who relapsed. The study highlights the potential role of e-cigarettes as a cessation aid, but also emphasizes the need for further research to determine the long-term effects of e-cigarette use. Overall, the study provides valuable insights into the relationship between e-cigarette use and smoking cessation, and has important implications for regulatory policies and public health interventions.

Benmarhnia, Tarik, John P Pierce, Eric Leas, Martha M White, David R Strong, Madison L Noble, and Dennis R Trinidad. “Can E-Cigarettes and Pharmaceutical Aids Increase Smoking Cessation and Reduce Cigarette Consumption? Findings From a Nationally Representative Cohort of American Smokers.” American Journal of Epidemiology 187, no. 11 (November 1, 2018): 2397–2404. https://doi.org/10.1093/aje/kwy129.