Study finds nicotine vapes more effective than patches in helping smokers quit

The review, titled Electronic cigarettes for smoking cessation, analysed evidence from 80 studies involving 29,861 smokers. Cochrane, an international research network known for systematic reviews of healthcare interventions, found strong evidence that nicotine-containing e-cigarettes are more effective at helping smokers achieve sustained abstinence than nicotine replacement therapy.

The findings come as Kenya considers new regulations governing emerging nicotine and tobacco products, including e-cigarettes and oral nicotine pouches.
The Tobacco Control (Amendment) Bill, 2024, is currently before the National Assembly’s Departmental Committee on Health after passing through the Senate.

According to the Cochrane review, smokers using nicotine-containing e-cigarettes were more likely to quit for at least six months than those using nicotine replacement therapies such as patches and gum.

The review also found that nicotine-containing e-cigarettes were more effective for smoking cessation than e-cigarettes without nicotine. The researchers rated the evidence supporting the effectiveness of nicotine e-cigarettes as high-certainty, indicating that further research is unlikely to substantially alter the conclusion.

Nicotine e-cigarettes also appeared to help more people quit smoking than behavioural support alone or no cessation support, although the certainty of evidence for these comparisons was lower.

On safety, the researchers found no strong evidence that nicotine e-cigarettes used for smoking cessation increase the risk of serious adverse events. Serious unwanted effects were uncommon across the studies reviewed.

The most frequently reported side effects included throat and mouth irritation, coughing, headaches and nausea. The symptoms were generally mild to moderate and tended to decline with continued use.

However, the review authors noted that evidence on the long-term safety of e-cigarettes remains limited and continues to evolve, particularly as newer generations of vaping products enter the market.

The proposed legislation has attracted scrutiny from public health stakeholders as well as businesses and consumer groups. The Pubs, Entertainment and Restaurants Association of Kenya (PERAK), for instance, has petitioned Parliament for wider public participation, arguing that retailers, hospitality businesses, consumers and other affected groups should have an opportunity to present their views before the Bill progresses.

Representatives of the retail and hospitality sectors have also raised concerns that some of the proposed measures could have unintended consequences for legitimate businesses and adult consumers.

The Cochrane findings add to the body of evidence suggesting that nicotine-containing e-cigarettes can be an effective smoking-cessation tool for adults who smoke combustible tobacco. At the same time, the review underscores the need for continued research into their longer-term health effects as products and patterns of use evolve.