E-cigarettes lead smoking cessation efforts in England, new study reveals

E-cigarettes are the most commonly used smoking cessation aid in England, associated with the highest success rates for quitting, a new study has found.

The study conducted by researchers from University College London as part of the long-running Smoking Toolkit Study analysed data from 25,094 participants aged 16 and older who attempted to quit smoking between 2006 and 2024.

The findings, published in JAMA Network Open, highlight that e-cigarettes have emerged as the most commonly used cessation aid, with 40.2 per cent of quit attempts in 2023-2024 involving their use. More importantly, their use was associated with a significantly higher likelihood of successful quitting, with an odds ratio (OR) of 1.95 after adjusting for various factors.

“This is consistent with evidence from randomized clinical trials and previous observational studies and provides further evidence that, in addition to being popular, e-cigarettes offer one of the most effective methods of quitting smoking,” the researchers said.

Despite their popularity and effectiveness, the study also revealed that a considerable proportion of quit attempts (40.8%) were made without any aid, which was associated with lower success rates.

While e-cigarettes topped the list, other aids that demonstrated positive associations with quit success were used far less frequently. These included:

• Prescription nicotine replacement therapy (NRT): Used by 4.5 per cent of quitters (OR: 1.33)
• Websites: Used by 4.6 per cent (OR: 1.43)
• Varenicline: Used by 1.1 per cent (OR: 1.80)
• Heated tobacco products (HTPs): Used by 0.7 per cent (OR: 2.37)

Interestingly, while prescription NRT showed a positive impact on quit success, over-the-counter NRT did not exhibit the same benefits (OR: 1.03). This discrepancy may indicate that guidance and structured support play a crucial role in the effective use of NRT products, the study noted.