A recent study co-led by a researcher from the University of Massachusetts Amherst identified potential strategies to help individuals quit vaping. Published in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, the research points to the effectiveness of varenicline—a prescription medication traditionally used to aid smoking cessation—and text message-based interventions in assisting people to stop using e-cigarettes.
Jamie Hartmann-Boyce, the senior author of the study and an assistant professor of health policy and management at UMass Amherst's School of Public Health and Health Sciences, highlighted the growing need for such research. "This is an area of research that is in its infancy, but is growing rapidly and organically from people who vape asking about help to quit vaping," she said.
While e-cigarettes have been found to increase the chances of quitting smoking more than patches, gums, lozenges, or other nicotine replacement therapies, concerns are rising for those who start vaping without prior smoking habits. Young individuals, in particular, may develop a dependency on nicotine through vaping and seek assistance to quit due to potential health risks.
The research team, which included co-lead authors Nicola Lindson and Ailsa Butler from the University of Oxford's Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, analyzed nine randomized studies involving over 5,000 participants. Their goal was to evaluate tools that have been tested to help people stop vaping.
"The interventions tested are similar to those that we know work for helping people quit smoking," Hartmann-Boyce noted. "We don't know, however, that they necessarily help people quit vaping, and that's why it's important that we have these trials."
One of the key findings was that programs delivering support via text messages appear to be effective for young people aged 13 to 24. These text-message approaches offer a mix of motivational content, insights into social norms, and practical tips for quitting vaping. "I think it's clear that this approach helps young people," Hartmann-Boyce stated. "The question is, is it going to help other populations?"
For adults attempting to quit vaping, the prescription medication varenicline showed potential effectiveness. However, the study emphasized that due to the limited number of studies, the evidence for both approaches is of low certainty and necessitates further investigation.
"With the results of our Cochrane review, healthcare professionals now have initial evidence for specific approaches they can recommend, particularly for younger people wanting to quit vaping," said Ailsa Butler. "However, we urgently need more research to explore these and other approaches."
Hartmann-Boyce echoed the need for continued research. "This is a really early area of research," she remarked. "This is a living, systematic review, and we'll be searching for new evidence monthly and updating the review as it comes out, because we know that this research is evolving."
This article was written in collaboration with generative AI company Alchemiq