“Groundbreaking” study into electric cigarettes
Electronic cigarettes could be a more effective way to stop smoking than traditional nicotine replacement therapies. That’s according to a new study that Italian researchers published in the journal BMC Public Health. The results of the trial suggest that the electronic cigarette may be effective at reducing smoking even in smokers who don’t really want to quit. Forty adults were given e cigarettes for the small clinical trial. Researchers left the participants to their own devices, getting minimal assessments and just four follow-up clinic visits.The smokers were told to use the e cig as they wished and were given no instructions to try to quit smoking regular cigs. Over the 6-month course of the study, 22.5% had quit smoking, while another 32.5% had cut down their smoke consumption by at least half. ACSH advisor Dr. Mike Siegel, professor at Boston University’s School of Public Health said: “This trial simulated a real-life experience, where no motivation or support was offered to subjects to quit smoking.” ACSH’s Dr. Gilbert Ross believes the trial could be “groundbreaking”. Electric cigarettes are a smart alternative to a analogue cigarette. They offer the user the same cigarette taste whilst providing a nicotine boost but without the smoke. It’s believed there are 200,000 e cigarette users in the British Isles and 2 million in the United States. Smoking in public places was banned by the UK Government in England in 2007. The e cigarette is not part of that ban and it can be enjoyed in pubs, clubs and restaurants .