Electronic Cigarettes for Smoking Cessation: The Gap Between Behavior in Smokers and Medical Education.

Introduction:
This text reviews a study that explores the use of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) for smoking cessation among former heavy smokers and the opinions of medical students regarding e-cigarettes as a cessation tool. The study consists of two surveys, one administered to patients undergoing a lung cancer screening and another to medical students at a single university. The patient survey aimed to understand the strategies used for smoking cessation, while the medical student survey evaluated their perception and knowledge of combustible cigarettes and e-cigarettes.

Key Points:

* The patient survey found that many former heavy smokers undergoing a lung cancer screen used e-cigarettes to achieve smoking cessation.
* Medical students were mixed in their opinions regarding whether a patient should switch from traditional cigarettes to e-cigarettes.
* Medical students reported receiving education about traditional cigarettes at a much higher rate than for e-cigarettes.
* Participants were less concerned about being asked their opinion on traditional cigarettes versus e-cigarettes.
* Participants reported much higher confidence in counseling patients about traditional cigarettes compared with e-cigarettes.
* The majority of participants believed that there should be a formal educational position on e-cigarettes given to medical students.
* The study highlights the gap between the use of e-cigarettes for smoking cessation among former smokers and the knowledge and training of future physicians.

Main Message:
The study emphasizes the importance of medical education in addressing the use of e-cigarettes for smoking cessation. Medical students lack the training and knowledge to approach vaping with their patients, with many not believing a patient should switch from smoking to vaping. This gap should be addressed through future research and medical education to ensure that future physicians are equipped to provide evidence-based guidance to their patients regarding e-cigarette use for smoking cessation.

Bernstein MH, Oueidat K, Wasserman P, et al. Electronic Cigarettes for Smoking Cessation: The Gap Between Behavior in Smokers and Medical Education. Cureus. 2022;14(9):1. doi:10.7759/cureus.29603