Quitting smoking by changing to only vaping is associated with better resolution of wheezing, but still carries risks, according to a new study in Nicotine & Tobacco Research. However, coughing persisted the same for those who only vaped, as it did for those who continued smoking.
What’s more—there is additional risk to trying to use vaping to quit smoking, researchers found: Extended dual use (without reducing smoking intensity) actually worsened wheezing. This finding by researchers at Boston University and the University of Wisconsin comes on the heels of research at Ohio State University that found that extended dual use quadruples risk for lung cancer.
“As a clinician, I would encourage patients to use FDA-approved medications and therapies to quit smoking. If patients opt to try vaping to quit smoking, it’s important to discuss with them that the ultimate goal is to stop all tobacco products,” said UW-CTRI Director Dr. Hasmeena Kathuria, co-author of the paper.
The authors analyzed data from the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) study that included 3,362 patients. They found that those who switched to dual use and maintained or increased their smoking intensity had 15 percent worse rates of respiratory symptoms compared with those who only smoked.
“Those who smoke and opt to switch to vaping,” Hasmeena said, “should understand the additive health risks of dual use and of not reducing smoking.”
Berlowitz JB, Xie W, Harlow AF, Kathuria H, Benjamin EJ, Stokes AC. (2024) Association of Cigarette–E-Cigarette Transitions with Respiratory Symptom Resolution. Nicotine & Tobacco Research. Online November 12, 2024.