Vapor Could Help Prolong Lives if Part of a Harm Reduction Strategy

E-cigarettes could help prolong the lives of millions of consumers if they become part of a tobacco harm reduction strategy, according to a new study released by the American Consumer Institute reviewing evidence from policy and health studies as well as the impact of legislative and regulatory decisions.

The study found that “there is overwhelming evidence that e-cigarettes are far less harmful than combustible cigarettes; they constitute one of the most common and effective cessation aids available to smokers; some empirical evidence finds underage vaping by nonsmokers to be infrequent, which supports the correlation between the rise in vaping and the decline smoking, although government-sponsored health advertisements may actually be heightening teen curiosity and increasing use; and overzealous or poorly designed restrictions on vaping, combined with misleading information about e-cigarettes’ true health risks, are deterring smokers from pursuing a potentially life-saving alternative.”