Vaping has had a bad press recently with e-cigarettes linked to incidents of lung disease and death. But for smokers desperate to quit, the benefits far outweigh the risks, says Caitlin Notley

Vaping has been getting something of a bad name of late. Countries worldwide are considering restrictions and bans. But, as a way to help smokers quit, e-cigarettes are an important tool that we shouldn’t dismiss

In the US, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently reported over a thousand cases of Evali ​(e-cigarette or vaping product use associated lung injury), and 34 deaths. This is catastrophic for the families involved, but must be compared with the 8 million smokers who die every year as a result of smoking tobacco. Any potential harms of using e-cigarettes must always be considered in comparison to the many known harms of continuing to smoke tobacco.

The CDC report stated that 86 per cent of the people who became ill from vaping had used THC (cannabis) products in the previous three months. THC is illegal in most countries, which may be why Evali outbreaks are not being reported elsewhere

The latest news from the CDC reveals that vitamin E acetate (a thickener of THC oil) may be to blame for vaping-related illness. Although vitamin E acetate seems to be the most likely culprit behind Evali, health officials are still saying it’s too soon to rule out other possible causes.

Smoking still kills

Smokers are likely to die ten years earlier than non-smokers. Quitting at a young age gives people the best chance of living a normal life, but quitting at any age has great benefits. Smokers who quit will notice improved breathing, a better sense of taste and smell, and being financially better off.

One way to quit is e-cigarettes. Most smokers want to quit, but they also enjoy smoking. E-cigarettes offer a similar sensory experience to smoking regular cigarettes and flavours are an important part of that experience.

E-cigarettes are unlikely to be completely safe, but exposure to harmful toxins from vaping is similar to exposure to toxins and carcinogens from nicotine replacement therapy, a licensed drug to help people stop smoking that is available on prescription and over the counter.

By using an e-liquid containing nicotine, addiction to nicotine will also continue, but a review from Public Health England suggests that vaping is much safer than smoking tobacco. The best thing that smokers can do to improve their health is to stop smoking completely. Using an e-cigarette really can help people to do this.

Vaping for smoking cessation

It is important to pay attention to research evidence about the effectiveness of e-cigarettes for smoking cessation and avoid a moral panic. A ban may have the unintended consequence of discouraging smokers from trying vaping to help them stop smoking, or may result in ex-smokers stopping vaping and returning to smoking tobacco.

FDA orders Juul to stop selling e-cigarette products

The Food and Drug Administration has ordered Juul to stop selling its e-cigarette products, citing a lack of data and evidence to assess their potential health risks.

Under the FDA order, Juul must stop selling and distributing its e-cigarette devices, along with all four types of Juul pods, which come in Virginia tobacco and menthol flavors. Products already on store shelves must be removed and taken off the market.

The FDA order does not prevent consumers from possessing or using Juul products they already own.

“We respectfully disagree with the FDA’s findings and decision and continue to believe we have provided sufficient information and data based on high-quality research to address all issues raised by the agency,” Joe Murillo, Juul Labs’ chief regulatory officer, said in a statement.

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