Study of electronic cigarette use: "majority reported that they successfully stopped smoking"

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22994631

Drug Alcohol Rev. 2012 Sep 20. doi: 10.1111/j.1465-3362.2012.00512.x. [Epub ahead of print]

Patterns of electronic cigarette use and user beliefs about their safety and benefits: An Internet survey.

Goniewicz ML, Lingas EO, Hajek P.

Source

UK Centre for Tobacco Control Studies, Tobacco Dependence Research Unit, Wolfson Institute of Preventive Medicine, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK; School of Pharmacy and Laboratory Medicine, Medical University of Silesia, Sosnowiec, Poland.

Abstract

INTRODUCTION AND AIMS:

As the popularity of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) increases, it is becoming important to find out more about the characteristics of e-cigarette users, why and how they use the product and whether e-cigarettes are used exclusively or in combination with conventional cigarettes. The objective of this study was to investigate patterns and effects of e-cigarette use and user beliefs about e-cigarette safety and benefits.

DESIGN AND METHODS:

E-cigarette users in Poland were recruited online and asked to participate in a web-based survey. The participants provided information on their smoking history, patterns of e-cigarette use, beliefs and attitudes regarding the product and information on concurrent use of conventional cigarettes.

RESULTS:

The survey was completed by 179 e-cigarette users. Almost all participants used e-cigarettes daily. E-cigarettes were primarily used to quit smoking or to reduce the harm associated with smoking (both 41%), and were successful in helping the surveyed users to achieve these goals with 66% not smoking conventional cigarettes at all and 25% smoking under five cigarettes a day. Most participants (82%) did not think that e-cigarettes were completely safe, but thought that they were less dangerous than conventional cigarettes. Sixty percent believed that e-cigarettes were addictive, but less so than conventional cigarettes.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS:

The participants primarily used e-cigarettes as a stop-smoking aid or as an alternative to conventional cigarettes, and the majority reported that they successfully stopped smoking. More data on e-cigarette safety and its efficacy in harm-reduction and smoking cessation are needed.