Nicotine Tob Res
Mixed evidence on vaping for smoking cessation, with daily use standing out
Clinical takeaway: Interpret evidence on vaping for smoking cessation cautiously, accounting for frequency of use and patient readiness to quit, while prioritizing FDA‑approved cessation therapies with individualized counseling.
Whether nicotine vaping products (NVPs) help adults quit smoking cigarettes remains contentious, largely because observational studies reach different conclusions. This narrative review examined why by comparing multiple analyses drawn from the same national data source.
Overall, 63.2% of analyses reported a positive association between vaping and quitting cigarettes within 1 to 3 years, while the remaining studies found no evidence of benefit.
Daily NVP use was more consistently associated with cigarette cessation than intermittent use. Findings also varied by sample selection. Analyses including all smokers reported positive associations between NVP use and cigarette cessation more often than those limited to smokers trying to quit. This difference likely reflects study design rather than true quit rates. In broader samples, vaping is often compared with no quit aid, whereas among quit‑intenders it's more commonly compared with effective FDA‑approved cessation therapies.
Investigators reviewed 28 articles (38 analyses) using data from the U.S. Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study, a national longitudinal survey, to assess links between NVP use and cigarette cessation.
“Regarding the association between vape products and smoking cessation, researchers are advised against making broad claims based on any single study,” said lead author Shu Xu, PhD, emphasizing the need to synthesize evidence across multiple analyses.
Source: Xu, S, et al. (2026, April 30). Nicotine & Tobacco Research. Effectiveness of nicotine vape products (E-cigarettes) as a smoking cessation aid for US adults: a narrative review of findings from the population assessment of tobacco and health study