One of the main reasons why people start vaping is because they aim to quit smoking. Adults who have a habit to smoke cigarettes tend to have an easier time quitting or at least cutting back on their habit if they vape juices like cosmic fog chill’d tobacco. However, according to a new French study, it is revealed that vaping might make it harder for ex-smokers to quit the habit altogether and they might end up experiencing a relapse.
Most adult smokers are the ones that use electronic cigarettes to quit smokers, whereas, it is rare for the youth to vape with a view to quit tobacco consumption. The study involved 5,400 smokers and studied their habits for about 23 months. 822 of these used electronic cigarettes daily. Vapers smoked more conventional cigarettes every day. However, once the study concluded, it found that vapers ended up cutting back on daily tobacco consumption as compared to non-vapers. Moreover, vapers were most likely to quit smoking altogether.
Furthermore, the researchers also studied 2,025 former smokers for 22 months. 176 of these used electronic cigarettes regularly. It was found that vapers were seventy percent more likely to experience a relapse as compared to ex-smokers that quit without relying on vaping. The reason behind this is that former smokers that use electronic cigarettes have not given up nicotine and are still addicted to it.
What Does The Study Reveal About Relapse?
When the ex-smokers who vape experience withdrawal symptoms and are unable to use an electronic cigarette due to technical problems or lack of e-liquid, they are more likely to start smoking again. It is important to keep in mind that the study was not a controlled experiment that is designed to prove how and whether vaping impacts smoking habits of ex-smokers. Moreover, the study did not consider the effectiveness and safety of e-cigarettes as an alternative to smoking.
There is another limitation which researchers did not account for. It is the lack of data on why people continued to use electronic cigarettes. This made it impossible to determine whether reduction of daily consumption of tobacco or smoking cessation was even a goal of the people that vaped.
Need for More Research
The question regarding whether vapers experience a relapse or not needs more research before a conclusive answer can be provided. Big tobacco companies in the United States are working to develop electronic cigarettes. These battery-powered devices feature a heating element and glowing tip that converts the liquid nicotine and flavour into a vapour cloud which is inhaled by users.
Electronic cigarettes that contain nicotine tend to be just as addictive as conventional cigarettes. Even if there is no nicotine, research reveals that the flavourings and ingredients used in the e-liquids cause serious breathing problems. Rather than thinking about whether vapers relapse, the question people need to ask is whether electronic cigarettes are even safe or at least safer than their traditional counterparts.
Conclusion
The truth is that electronic cigarettes might not be as effective of a cessation aid as claimed. Thus, it is possible for vapers to relapse.
