Consisting of 366 adult smokers, the participants received brief smoking cessation advice, a vape starter kit, and a referral to local Stop Smoking Services. Aiming to identify transition patterns, describe baseline and post-intervention data, and examine participants’ qualitative experiences, the research team looked into how individuals quit smoking and what how behaviors related to vaping evolved.
The results indicated that 32.5% of participants who received the starter kits either quit smoking or reduced their cigarette consumption significantly within six months. More specifically, 13.4% of participants quit smoking within the first month of the intervention, 19.1% quit smoking between 1 and 6 months, 24.9% reduced their cigarette consumption by at least 50%, and 42.6% did not show significant smoking reduction.
Quitting success depends on an interplay of factors
The study concluded that providing free vape kits can lead to successful smoking reduction or cessation, especially among those with limited resources. However, added the researchers, quitting is influenced by personal context, satisfaction with vaping and environmental factors. Of course, they added, sustained e-cigarette use is not always required for success.
Other studies have examined the effectiveness of distributing free vape starter kits to help smokers quit, and reported positve results. In 2019, Public Health England (PHE) collaborated with local Stop Smoking Services to provide vape kits to smokers. The initiative resulted in a significant number of participants successfully quitting smoking, hence the PHE continues to recommend e-cigarettes as smoking cessation tools.
Similarly, a trial in New Zealand led by Professor Richard Edwards, offered free e-cigarette starter kits to participants who were trying to quit smoking. This study found that providing free vapes alongside behavioral support doubled the quit rates compared to traditional nicotine replacement therapies (NRT). The researchers concluded that offering free vape kits is a cost-effective way to encourage smoking cessation.
These studies suggest that distributing free vape starter kits can be an effective strategy to help smokers quit, particularly when combined with other smoking cessation support services. Meanwhile, a recent US cohort study took the topic a step further and highlighted that not only are vapes effective smoking cessation tools, but also that contemporary trends and products may increase this effectivity.
The research team investigated the association between e-cigarette characteristics and cigarette cessation behaviours among 1,985 U.S. adults, who smoked and vaped. The study used data from the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study collected between 2014 and 2021, focusing on factors such as frequency of e-cigarette use, flavour, device type, and year of data collection.
Recent vapers have been more successful at quitting smoking than previous ones
Key findings revealed that daily e-cigarette use significantly increased overall cigarette discontinuation rates compared to nondaily use (12.8% vs. 6.1%). Interestingly, individuals who vaped between 2019 and 2021 showed higher cigarette discontinuation rates (12.0%) compared to those using e-cigarettes between 2014 and 2016 (5.3%). Flavour also played a role; menthol or mint-flavoured vapes were associated with higher discontinuation rates than tobacco-flavoured ones, at 9.2% vs. 4.7%. However, the type of e-cigarette device (disposable, cartridge, or tank) did not significantly affect cessation rates.
These findings suggest that recent vaping products, especially when used daily and with certain flavours, may be more effective in helping smokers quit cigarettes. The results highlight the importance of focusing on recent vape market trends and products to inform public health policies and regulations, aiming to balance smoking cessation benefits with potential risks.
