Study: Vapes ‘Twice as Effective’ to Quit Smoking
The American Consumer Institute (ACI) unveiled a study that provides a pivotal analysis of the potential for tobacco harm reduction alternative products, such as vaping and modern oral, to significantly reduce smoking-related deaths across the United States.
Key findings from the study entitled “Transition from Tobacco to Vaping: The Health Impacts by State” by ACI Senior Policy Analyst Justin Leventhal, include:
- A potential reduction of nearly 300,000 smoking-related deaths annually if e-cigarettes replace traditional smoking nationwide.
- An estimated four million lives could have been saved from 2010 to 2024, surpassing deaths from the Coronavirus by a factor of four.
- State restrictions and regulatory barriers on vaping products have been identified as significant obstacles for smokers seeking to quit, thereby increasing the annual death toll from smoking-related diseases.
- Removing regulatory barriers on vaping products would enable a smoother transition for smokers toward safer products or kicking the habit entirely, potentially saving hundreds of thousands of lives each year.
“Evidence suggests that e-cigarettes are nearly twice as effective as traditional nicotine replacement therapies like gums and patches in aiding smoking cessation,” a press release states. “Despite this, recent years have seen an increase in regulations, taxes, and outright bans on vaping products, hindering the progress toward a smoke-free future.”
ACI calls for policymakers to reconsider these restrictive measures and focus on harm-reduction strategies that offer a pragmatic approach to reducing smoking-related mortality rates. By embracing tobacco harm reduction products as viable alternatives to smoking, states can significantly lower healthcare costs and mortality rates associated with tobacco use.
