Stoptober 2024 - Why vapes are still useful to help quit smoking

Stoptober is running for its 13^th edition in 2024 and now with more smoking cessation tools available, there are more ways for the public to kick their smoking habits. E-cigarettes, or vapes, have been in the spotlight because of their appeal to younger people, but it’s important we acknowledge the role they are playing in improving people’s health by helping them to quit using combustible cigarettes. Here, testing and regulatory consultancy Broughton outlines why vaping and e-cigarettes are still a good tool to help smokers quit combustible cigarettes this Stoptober.

Over the past year there has been lots of suggestions that vaping retailers have not done enough to dissuade young users, and that single-use vapes are environmentally harmful, with potential legislation coming into force to ban disposable vape products and calls for alterations to packaging.

The concerning number of young people using vapes has even led to organisations such as the British Medical Association calling for a ban on all flavours apart from tobacco. Yet, the evidence suggests otherwise as one study from the University of Bristol earlier this year indicates such a move would be counter-intuitive[1]. Another study from the Royal College of Physicians states that changes in the prevalence of e-cigarette use in England have been positively associated with the success rate of attempts to quit smoking – appearing to help in the region of 30,000-50,000 additional smokers to quit every year since 2013.

This is further evidenced from a study by University College London (UCL) – that while nicotine use is on the rise, declines in smoking were “most pronounced in age groups with the largest increases in vaping[2].”

It’s clear that these studies illustrate that vaping is useful to prevent unnecessary deaths caused by combustible cigarettes and can help the UK achieve its ambition of a smoke-free nation by 2030.

Despite the concerns there are about young people using vapes, as the evidence suggests a substantial uptake recently, we shouldn’t lose sight of the fact that vaping is helping adults take a healthier course, and the evidence suggests that having flavours that aren’t just tobacco available to them is a help not a hindrance.

There is, of course, a balance to be struck, but there is still good reason to include vapes as part of any campaign to help smokers quit, such as with Stoptober.

Of course, any vape or e-cigarette must adhere to robust regulatory standards wherever they are sold. Product developers and manufacturers that work with a trusted testing and regulatory consultant can help ensure vape compliance. With over 15 years of scientific experience and helping manufacturers and retailers bring their products to market, Broughton can help deliver these better health outcomes.

Find out how Broughton can partner with you to help bring safe nicotine products to market with its testing and regulatory expertise.

[1] https://bristol.ac.uk/neuroscience/news/2024/vape-falvour.html

[2] https://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2024/may/nicotine-use-rises-among-young-adults-england-cigarette-smoking-continues-decline