Preliminary evidence suggests that youth who use e-cigarettes are more likely to smoke tobacco cigarettes at a later age than youth who don’t use e-cigarettes.
Are e-cigarettes effective for smoking cessation?
E-cigarettes are not an approved smoking cessation aid.
Switching from tobacco cigarettes to e-cigarettes reduces exposure to many toxins.
Some smokers claim that e-cigarettes make them “feel better” than when smoking tobacco cigarettes, that they save money, and that e-cigarettes help them to quit smoking.
Some evidence supports the use of e-cigarettes to help patients quit smoking.
Royal College of Physicians (U.K.) supports the use of e-cigarettes, in combination with behavioral therapy, in smokers who have tried other methods of quitting without success.
Patients who want to quit smoking should be advised to use approved nicotine replacement products.
For practical tips and resources to help your patients successfully quit smoking see next coming blog If patients have failed multiple attempts with approved nicotine replacement/smoking cessation products they could try e-cigarettes.