Long-term vaping 'far safer than smoking' says 'landmark' study
Conclusion
This cross-sectional study aimed to assess whether there are differences in levels of nicotine and toxic chemicals in cigarette smokers, and former or current smokers who are also long-term users of e-cigarettes or NRT.
E-cigarettes are designed for users to inhale nicotine without most of the harmful effects of smoking. There has been much discussion over the benefits of vaping over conventional smoking methods and this is the first long-term study assessing these effects.
The main findings are not that surprising – former smokers who have now switched to using e-cigarettes or NRT only have significantly lower levels of toxins than those who continue to smoke regular cigarettes.
However, the study has limitations.
while attempts were made to control for confounders, it is possible that other unmeasured factors are influencing the results
this was a self-selected sample and therefore findings may not be generalisable to the whole population of former or current smokers
indirect exposure to cigarette smoking could not be accounted for in this research
the study is not able to assess the comparative effectiveness of NRT or e-cigarettes as aids to smoking cessation
The findings of this study do appear to reassure that use of e-cigarettes and nicotine replacement therapy – while continuing to provide nicotine – can reduce exposure to toxic chemicals that can lead to cancer in cigarette smokers.
However, this is only if you completely stop smokin...
Source: NHS News Feed - Category: Consumer Health News Tags: Cancer Heart/lungs Source Type: news
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