A new study has found out how e-cigarettes can help individuals quit smoking for good. However, they suggest that it should be used for short term abstinence aid for quitting smoking only and should not replace smoking per se.
The study, presented at the 2015 American Thoracic Society International Conference, found out that e-cigarettes are capabale of helping people quit smoking within one month compared to other control or placebo electronic smokes, reports The Sun Daily.
Researchers from the University of Toronto led by Riyad al-Lehebi, collated and analyzed data from 4,569 researches and abstracts from 297 articles. They then applied them to randomized trials. The results were published in their study entitled "Efficacy and Safety of Electronic Cigarettes for Smoking Cessation: A Systematic Review".
E-cigarettes have been the center of debates worldwide. In fact, Manitoba, Canada has already limited the use of e-cigarettes in their state. Healthy Living Minister Deanne Crothers said she is planning to initiate a bill in the legislature on Monday which is geared at protecting people who don't want to be exposed to the vapor of the electronic device, CBC News.
Meanwhile, in a separate study, experts found out that the vapor coming from the e-cigarette could damage the lungs even if it is nicotine-free. Researchers from the American Physiological Society (APS) found out that the other chemicals found in e-cigarettes could damage the integrity of endothelial cells found in the linings of the lungs. Hence, it causes inflammation that could lead to various lung infections.
Writing in the journal, the authors said, "Long-term studies of the efficacy and safety of e-cigarettes are needed to determine their possible role in smoking cessation." They also recommend that nicotine patches may be better alternatives for quitting smoking than other methods that could cause serious complications.
