Scientists from Queen Mary University of London have found out that electronic cigarettes do not contribute to the spread of smoking conventional cigarettes and can accelerate the rejection of society from them. The study is published in the journal Public Health Research.
Scientists compared the dynamics of the use and sales of electronic and conventional cigarettes in countries with historically similar smoking trajectories, but with different current rules regarding electronic cigarettes: the UK, the USA and Australia. In the latter, a ban on the sale of nicotine-containing electronic cigarettes was introduced.
They found that at the level of society there is no indication that e-cigarettes and other alternative means of nicotine delivery contribute to the spread of smoking conventional cigarettes. Thus, the reduction in the number of smokers in Australia is slower than in the UK and the USA. Moreover, in Japan, the increase in sales of tobacco heating systems was accompanied by a significant decrease in sales of conventional cigarettes.
Scientists have also found some evidence that these products compete with cigarettes and thus can accelerate smoking cessation, but other studies are needed to determine the size of this effect. Since people can use both cigarettes and alternative nicotine delivery systems, the prevalence rates of these products overlap. Therefore, it is necessary to continue monitoring, the scientists concluded.
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