A recent study has revealed that individuals who use both traditional cigarettes and e-cigarettes are less likely to quit smoking than those who use only one type of cigarette.
Over time, most people who use both types tend to return to smoking traditional cigarettes, according to the study.
The research team reviewed existing studies on e-cigarette and traditional cigarette users and merged their findings. After 4 to 8 months, only 3% of those who used both types of cigarettes managed to quit, compared to 8% of those who used only e-cigarettes and 6% of traditional cigarette smokers. After 8 to 16 months, just 5% of dual users had quit, compared to 7% of traditional smokers and 19% of e-cigarette users. Between 16 and 24 months, the quit rate for dual users rose to 13%, while 17% of traditional smokers and 26% of e-cigarette users quit smoking.
The study also found that most dual users eventually returned to smoking only traditional cigarettes. This trend increased steadily, with 30% of dual users returning to traditional smoking after 4 to 8 months, 47% after 8 to 16 months, and 58% after 16 to 24 months.
Popularity of E-Cigarettes
Joseph Hamoud, a research assistant at the University of Göttingen Medical Center in Germany and one of the study’s authors, explained that e-cigarettes, which are widely marketed as a healthier alternative to traditional smoking, have gained popularity among those trying to quit smoking. However, some individuals continue smoking regular cigarettes while using e-cigarettes, and several studies have raised “concerning” findings about the use of both types of cigarettes, according to Hamoud.
“We still know very little about the long-term health effects of e-cigarettes,” Hamoud added.
E-cigarettes, which have seen strong commercial growth over the past 10 years, do not contain tobacco but instead use a liquid that typically contains nicotine, which is inhaled as vapour.
Because they lack tar and carbon monoxide—chemicals responsible for cancer and cardiovascular diseases associated with traditional smoking—e-cigarettes are considered to carry much less risk than regular cigarettes. However, the World Health Organization and anti-smoking organisations refused to confirm that e-cigarettes are less harmful, and are awaiting more conclusive research findings.
