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US University Study Supports E-Cigarettes As Quitting Option

Published: 2010-12-27    Views:138 reads

Electronic cigarettes are much safer than conventional smokes that burn tobacco, according to a study by USA's Boston University School of Public Health.

The study's conclusions, which have been made public in the United States in the last few days, said e-cigarettes can help smokers to quit the real thing.

Boston University's researchers, Zachary Cahn and Michael Siegel wrote in the December issue of the United States Journal of Public Health Policy that e-cigarettes, while attracting some controversy, should be considered for their "harm reduction" potential.

"We conclude that electronic cigarettes show tremendous promise in the fight against tobacco-related morbidity and mortality," said the study.

"By dramatically expanding the potential for harm reduction strategies to achieve substantial health gains, they may fundamentally alter the tobacco harm reduction debate."

"Harm reduction" is the term for a theory that suggests it is be better for the public health overall if anti-smoking policies were aimed more at helping smokers switch to less-dangerous sources of nicotine delivery, rather than taking a "quit or die" approach.

Paul Medarov, CEO of Elusion Cigarette Company based in Auckland, New Zealand, said the Boston study is the second important development in the USA in the past week.

"This supportive study for e-cigarettes, was preceded by a United States Federal Appeals Court decision that they should also be regulated as tobacco products rather than as drug delivery devices," said Mr Medarov.

"This effectively means that more than 46 million addicted tobacco smokers in the USA can now opt for e-cigarettes in their attempts to kick the addiction altogether.

"It also means that e-cigarette manufacturers in the United States won't have to find the funds for clinical trials to prove their effectiveness as a safe and effective stop-smoking aid."

Mr Medarov said his company's sales in Australia and New Zealand are growing rapidly.

"Feedback from users certainly bears out what the Boston study is suggesting" he said.