Vaping Outperforms Patches and Gum in Large Smoking-Cessation Review

An updated Cochrane review pooled 80 randomized trials with 29,861 participants to compare smoking-cessation strategies. Nicotine e-cigarettes yielded higher quit rates than nicotine patches, gum, behavioral counseling, or no support, with about four extra quitters per 100 people versus nicotine replacement therapy. The authors caution that vaping is not risk-free, though it may be less harmful for smokers who would otherwise continue using cigarettes.

The review is a living systematic synthesis, updated as fresh studies appear. Its current evidence base spans 80 randomized trials and 29,861 participants, including nine trials added since the prior version. Smoking remains the top preventable cause of death globally; WHO attributes over seven million annual deaths to it, with 1.6 million among nonsmokers exposed to secondhand smoke.

Compared with nicotine replacement products, nicotine e-cigarettes yielded roughly four more successful quitters per 100 people, and about two more per 100 than non-nicotine e-cigarettes. Evidence against counseling-only or unaided quitting was less certain because of possible study design bias. The findings concern regulated nicotine devices; unlicensed products and THC-containing vapes may carry different risks.

Count words. First para: The(1) review2 is3 a4 living5 systematic6 synthesis,7 updated8 as9 fresh10 studies11 appear.12 Its13 current14 evidence15 base16 spans17 80(18) randomized19 trials20 and21 29,861(22) participants,23 including24 nine25 trials26 added27 since28 the29 prior30 version.31 Smoking32 remains33 the34 top35 preventable36 cause37 of38 death39 globally;40 WHO41 attributes42 over43 seven44 million45 annual46 deaths47 to48 it,49 with50 1.6(51) million52 among53 nonsmokers54 exposed55 to56 secondhand57 smoke.58

Second: Compared59 with60 nicotine61 replacement62 products,63 nicotine64 e-cigarettes65 yielded66 roughly67 four68 more69 successful70 quitters71 per72 100(73) peo