A new study conducted among 19,000 British smokers shows that those who used an electronic cigarette or took varenicline were the most likely to quit smoking.

Gums, nicotine patches, behavioral therapies, medications, electronic cigarettes, hypnosis... When it comes to smoking cessation aids, smokers have plenty of choices. But among all these methods, is there one that stands out? In January 2019, a study had already shown that the electronic cigarette was twice as effective as traditional nicotine substitutes for quitting smoking. A new large-scale study, published on May 22 in the journal Addiction, confirms that the electronic cigarette as well as a medication (varenicline) are most often associated with success.

The authors of the study, four researchers from University College London (England), analyzed responses to a questionnaire from nearly 19,000 smokers. All were over 16 years old at the time of the study, lived in England, and had made at least one quit attempt in the year preceding the questionnaire. Just over half of them used one or more cessation aids. Nicotine substitutes (patches, gums, nicotine sprays), prescribed by a doctor or purchased directly at a pharmacy, were by far the most popular, with 36% of participants having used an aid. Next came the electronic cigarette (12.7% of users), varenicline (Champix) with 5.5% of users, and behavioral therapies (4.6%).

Electronic cigarette and varenicline

Overall, 16% of participants had quit smoking at the time the study was conducted, mostly people who had used cessation aids. However, 16.8% of these former smokers succeeded without any aid. For the others, the results show that the electronic cigarette and varenicline are the most effective means, with success rates respectively 95% and 82% higher for their users compared to those who used nothing. Smokers who were prescribed a nicotine substitute by a healthcare professional recorded an additional success rate of 34%.

While the electronic cigarette is recognized as being much less harmful than tobacco and as an effective cessation aid, its potential long-term impacts are still unknown. As for varenicline, known under the brand name Champix, it is a molecule capable of mimicking the action of nicotine in the brain. It reduces the pleasure of smoking by decreasing the nervous system’s sensitivity to nicotine. However, it is not without side effects (nausea, insomnia, headaches...). It should be noted that one of the study’s authors has a conflict of interest with Pfizer, and another with Pfizer, GlaxoSmithKline, and Johnson & Johnson, all companies that manufacture medications like Champix to help quit smoking.

"Those who quit early in their adult life avoid almost all excess mortality and gain on average 10 years of life expectancy."

- The study authors

The study also shows that depending on age, level of addiction, and socio-economic status of participants, the aids used had varying effectiveness. For example, nicotine substitute prescriptions were the most effective aid among older adults. Conversely, online support was less effective for them. Another example: hypnotherapy, telephone coaching, and online coaching proved less effective among smokers with strong addiction.

"Quitting smoking reduces the risk of chronic disease and increases life expectancy," the researchers remind in their study. "The earlier smokers quit, the more beneficial the cessation. And those who quit early in their adult life avoid almost all excess mortality and gain on average 10 years of life expectancy." Hence the importance of maximizing the chances of success from the first attempt by making the best use of available aids.

05/24/2019 By Le Figaro, Cécile Thibert. https://www.sante.lefigaro.fr/

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