vaping cessation

With respect to interventions to facilitate nicotine vaping cessation a systematic review concluded (1):

• low‐certainty evidence suggests that text message‐based interventions to help people stop nicotine vaping may help more youths and young adults to successfully stop compared to no/minimal support, with very uncertain evidence regarding their effect on smoking behaviours
  
  
• low‐certainty evidence suggests that varenicline may help people quit vaping
  
  
• data exploring the effectiveness of combination NRT, cytisine, and nicotine/vaping behaviour reduction are inconclusive due to risk of bias and imprecision

The review notes:

• evidence suggests that nicotine‐containing vapes or electronic cigarettes are less harmful to health than tobacco cigarettes, and in some countries they are endorsed as smoking cessation aids
• there are concerns about their potential harm to health if used long‐term by people who stopped smoking a long time ago or by people who have never smoked, with particular concerns relating to young people
• young people who take up nicotine vaping who have never smoked may develop a dependence on nicotine, which has led to concerns that they may be more likely to try other more harmful nicotine‐containing products, such as combustible tobacco cigarettes
• as nicotine is an addictive substance, and advancements in vaping technology make it increasingly effective at delivering nicotine to the brain, it may not be easy for people to discontinue use

Reference:

1. Butler AR, Lindson N, Livingstone-Banks J, Notley C, Turner T, Rigotti NA, Fanshawe TR, Begh R, Wu AD, Brose L, Conde M, Simonavičius E, Hartmann-Boyce J. Interventions for quitting vaping. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2025, Issue 11. Art. No.: CD016058. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD016058.pub3. Accessed 20 December 2025.