Monday, January 5, 2015

E-Cigarette Denial: It Just Doesn’t Work Anymore



Recently I attended a forum on e-cigarettes, sponsored by a political organization that wanted to educate its attendees about the devices.  During the discussion my opponent [from the prohibitionist American Legacy Foundation] repeated the baseless claim that there is no evidence that e-cigarettes help smokers quit. 

I responded that there is clear evidence: several clinical studies demonstrate that e-cigs work – previously discussed in my blog (here, here, here and here).

The clinical trial evidence has reached a sufficient size that a meta-analysis has been conducted.  Circulation, the flagship journal of the American Heart Association, contained the abstract of such a review presented (here) by University of Melbourne (Australia) investigators at a recent meeting.  They found that “Use of…e-cigarettes was positively associated with smoking cessation …Nicotine filled e-cigarettes were more effective in achieving cessation compared to those without nicotine (pooled Risk Ratio 2.29, 95%CI 1.05-4.97). Use of e-cigarettes was also effective in reducing smokers’ daily cigarette consumption…In conclusion, available literature suggests that the use of e-cigarettes may be an effective alternate smoking cessation method.”

After my response one of the attendees at our forum stated that he had quit smoking using e-cigs, and he had also convinced two of his relatives to quit.  As he noted, “it may not be a clinical trial, but it is real evidence.”

This doesn’t happen just at every event I attend.  It happens at virtually every conversation I have.  Almost everybody now knows former smokers who credit e-cigarettes with life- and breath-saving benefits.  The Consumer Advocates for Smoke-Free Alternatives Association maintains a webpage linking to over 2,000 testimonials from successful switchers (here).    

Cartoonist Bill Watterson said: “It's not denial. I'm just selective about the reality I accept.”  Anti-tobacco zealots who refuse to acknowledge the new reality of e-cigarettes also qualify for membership in The Flat Earth Society (join here).

3 comments:

Unknown said...

Unless your a wealthy, so-called educated, Pharmaceutical sponsored liar, you are just an anecdote to those that are just that!

Phönix said...

Vapor Market Size $2.5B - anecdotal information :)

Anonymous said...

Meet another one, who stooped smoking the first day he reached e-cig. Two months now, without any problem. After 25 years of chain smoking, trying literally everything what market has to offer. And number of ex smokers is heavily increasing in my community. Just because of e-cig. Best thing ever.......