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It has been argued that e-cigarettes are of benefit to smokers as an alternative to cigarettes. New research counters this proposition by suggesting that smokers who use e-cigarettes are less likely to quit than those who do not use the devices.
The research, published in the American Journal of Public Health
[1]
(online, 16 April 2015), included 1,000 smokers in California who were assessed twice, 12 months apart. At baseline, one quarter of the sample had used e-cigarettes. At the end of follow-up, e-cigarette users were significantly less likely to have quit or reduced their cigarette consumption compared with those who had never used e-cigarettes.
“Smokers who have used e-cigarettes may be at increased risk for not being able to quit smoking,” conclude the authors. They say the findings have important policy and regulation implications.
