Smokers quit with vape, patch
WELLINGTON: Smokers who combine vaping with nicotine patches are nearly twice as likely to quit as those using other cessation methods, a New Zealand study shows.
The new research published yesterday in the medical journal The Lancet said 17% of participants who used patches and nicotine ecigarettes remained smokefree six months after the study.
Only about 10% not using the dual method managed to keep off smoking after half a year.
University of Auckland Associate Prof and study lead investigator Natalie Walker said this might not sound like much but it added up.
She said if all New Zealand’s roughly half a million smokers followed the combination approach, up to 36,000 additional people could successfully quit — compared with those using patches with a nicotinefree ecigarette — and potentially up to 50,000 more people than if only patches were used.
Researchers said it was the first time the effectiveness of this combined method had been tested.
More than 1100 New Zealanders were part of the randomised clinical trial by Auckland and Canterbury universities and the National Institute for Health Innovation between 2016 and 2018. — RNZ
NEW YORK: The American Medical Association yesterday urged Americans to stop using electronic cigarettes of any sort until scientists had a better understanding of the cause of 450 lung illnesses and at least five deaths related to the use of the products.
The AMA, one of the nation’s most influential physician groups, called on doctors to inform patients about the dangers of ecigarettes, including toxins and carcinogens, and swiftly report any suspected cases of lung illness associated with ecigarette use.
The recommendation followed advice from the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention last week for people to consider not using ecigarette products while it investigates the cause of a spate of severe lung illnesses associated with vaping.
Many, but not all, of the cases have involved those who used the devices to vaporise oils containing tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive component of cannabis. — Reuters