Wellbeing

Can E-Cigarettes Really Cure Your Smoking Addiction?

e-cigarette

E-cigarettes are gaining more attention lately with the spreading conversation that they can help you to quit smoking regular cigarettes. Is this true or just an empty myth? It’s worth a look to find out. After all, many are desperately trying to stop this highly addictive habit that has taken over their lives.

There’s no shortage of information out there when it comes to the hazards of “traditional cigarettes.” There are warnings all over the place including the ones that are required to go on the cigarette company’s ads themselves. Millions of individuals want to quit smoking cigarettes for good, but feel stuck in a never-ending cycle of success and ultimately reoccurring failure.

Maybe you can relate to those struggles. If you can, then you’ve likely left no stone unturned when it comes to looking for every possible way to quit smoking. The reality is that there’s information out there that would suggest “yes” and “not sure” to the question.

What Those Unsure of E-Cigarettes Say

Some mainstream groups are reluctant to endorse e-cigarettes before more information comes out about them. One such group is Smokefree.gov, a website started by the Tobacco Control Research Branch of the National Cancer Institute. The goal of the website is to help individuals quit smoking. One blog article on their site that is titled, “What We Know About E-Cigarettes” is hesitant to endorse e-cigarettes just yet.

The article cites that there isn’t enough scientific evidence to prove that they can help you to quit smoking. One concern from the article is that the FDA is still trying to figure out how to regulate e-cigarettes. This means that e-cigarette companies aren’t required by law to disclose what specific ingredients are in their products. This potential lack of transparency is making some anti-smoking groups a bit edgy.

The article also shares that the addictive chemical of nicotine is still present in e-cigarettes. Concern over the effects of nicotine interfering with the development of young adults is touched on as well. The article finally concludes that there is not yet ample evidence to prove that e-cigarettes can help individuals to quit smoking or that they are a healthy alternative.

What WebMD Says

WebMD refers to a British study which concludes that e-cigarettes can assist with smoking cessation. According to the study, individuals using e-cigarettes to quit smoking were more likely to quit by 60 percent compared to those who attempted to stop by using nicotine gum or patches.

WebMD quotes Dr. Michael Siegel who says, “It appears, at least for some people, e-cigarettes are a viable method of quitting that looks comparable to, if not better than traditional nicotine replacement therapy.” Dr. Siegel is a community health services professor. Siegel did not actually take part in the British study but came to this conclusion after extensive research on the topic of e-cigarettes.

The above 60-percent statistic also stayed true in the study when those using e-cigarettes to quit smoking were compared to those relying on willpower. The study found that 20 percent of those who used e-cigarettes to help them stop smoking standard cigarettes were able to quit for good.

Although e-cigarettes contain nicotine, they do not contain tobacco. This helps those who want to quit smoking to better deal with cravings and symptoms of withdrawal. WebMD also admitted that there are differing viewpoints about e-cigarettes.

In Summary

One thing is for sure, the number of e-cigarette users are growing by leaps and bounds. Only 2 percent of us smokers used e-cigarettes in 2010. Two years later, that number soared 30 percent.

There are a variety of ways that you could quit smoking such as nicotine patches or gum, cold turkey or by slowly cutting back on the number of cigarettes you smoke daily. Everyone can experience a significantly higher quality of life by quitting but the way they achieve final release from this addiction will likely differ.

Whether you’ve been struggling to find a solution that will work for years or are newly thinking of quitting regular cigarettes, you owe it to yourself to at least give e-cigarettes a try. They may be the exact boost that you need to throw “traditional cigarettes” in the dumpster for good.

 

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