Independent, well controlled, scientific studies show that vaping is considerably less harmful than smoking, and helps ex-smokers stay off cigarettes.
Governments that have been global leaders in tobacco control have viewed this science positively, and recognize the public health benefits that vaping offers as a result.
UK Department of Health
Year: 2015, 2018, 2021
The study, conducted by UK’s Department of Health, is an ongoing literature review of numerous previous studies about vaping. The conclusion, first reached in 2015 and then maintained in further annual reviews: “Vaping is at least 95% less harmful than smoking.“ This has led to vaping being integrated in the UK’s smoke-reduction policies. Unsurprisingly, the UK has become one of the countries in the world with the biggest decline in recent smoker numbers.
Find out more here.
Eurobarometer 506
Year: 2021
According to the most recent Eurobarometer report, called “Attitudes of Europeans towards tobacco and electronic cigarettes”, three out of ten 10 smokers and former smokers who use, or have used, e-cigarettes say that these products helped them to stop smoking tobacco completely. This indicates that the abstinence rate for smokers who use vaping is more efficient than that of any other smoking cessation method such as nicotine replacement therapy - which in the most recent trial (see below) only helped one in ten smokers abstain completely.
Find out more here.
Queen Mary University of London and Cancer Research UK
Year: 2019
This study, which was a randomized trial of electronic cigarettes versus nicotine-replacement therapy on a sample of 886 smokers trying to quit, showed a very clear result. Vaping was two times as efficient as nicotine replacement therapy as a smoking cessation tool. (18.0% versus 9.9%). Furthermore, chronic smokers in the e-cigarette group were more likely than those in the nicotine-replacement group to use the product at 52 weeks (80% [63/79 participants] vs. 9% [4/44 participants]).
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Institut Pasteur de Lille
Year: 2017
This study, titled “Comparison of cellular and transcriptomic effects between electronic cigarette vapor and cigarette smoke in human bronchial epithelial cells” is a comparison between the effect on bronchial cells of vaping and cigarettes. The conclusion was clear: vapor has a negligible effect on bronchial cells compared to combustible cigarettes.
Find out more here.
University of St Andrews
Year: 2017
The research compares the carcinogenic potential of different devices containing nicotine: from medical inhalers, to electronic cigarettes, and up to heat-not-burn and traditional cigarettes. According to this study, vaping products have extremely low toxicant levels in their emissions, on par with pharmaceutical nicotine inhalers, although some high wattage models have higher emissions.
Find out here.
Healthy Ireland Survey
Year: 2019
This survey, consisting of 7,413 interviews conducted with a representative sample of the population aged 15 and older in Ireland came up with a very clear conclusion regarding use of e-cigarettes. Only 1% of vaping users were non-smokers, compared with 10% of current smokers and 13% of ex-smokers using vaping devices- clearly illustrating that non smokers and youth are not the ones taking up vaping.
Find out more here.
Yale University
Year: 2021
Yale University released the first real world study on the effect of flavour bans on youth smoking prevalence. In the City of San Francisco flavoured vaping products were banned in 2018. Since then, smoking has doubled among high school students in the area relative to trends in districts without the ban, even when adjusting for individual demographics and other tobacco policies. This study was funded by the US Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Tobacco Products. There was no industry involvement in the study.
Find out here.
Royal College of Physicians
Year: 2016
In its review of the evidence on vaping and smoking the Royal College of Physicians - the most prestigious members organisation for Doctors in the UK - made clear that vaping products must play a key role in reducing smoking related illnesses. The report, Nicotine Without Smoke, concludes that in the interests of public health it is important to promote the use of e-cigarettes, NRT and other non-tobacco nicotine products as widely as possible as a substitute for smoking.
Find out here.