Flavors in e-cigs are important for avoiding relapse to cigarettes, as are nicotine strength and hardware. This is according to a new UK study.
"Smokers who quit succeed by switching to more sophisticated devices combined with moving from tobacco flavors to fruit, candy and pastry flavors"
E-cigarettes have become the most popular way to quit smoking in the UK. But how does the variety of products available affect smokers' ability to quit for good? A research team in the UK set out to find out. Studiesfunded by Cancer Research UK, looked at over 370 users who were asked to answer questions about the type of e-cigarette they were using when they started vejpa, the type they use now and how these choices affected their risk of relapse.
The researchers focused on three different types of e-cigarettes: simple unrefillable cig-a-likes, smaller refillable vejp pens, and more advanced systems with a separate battery and tank. They also looked at nicotine strengths and flavor choices in the e-juice.
Simpler appliances not as efficient
The vast majority in the study had started with a high nicotine strength (18mg/ml). 45% started with a vejp pen, while 38% started with a cig-a-like.
Of those who succeeded in quitting smoking completely, 70% said they had later switched to a more advanced system with a separate tank and battery.
"At the same time, those who started with a cig-a-like relapsed into smoking at a much higher rate than those who started with a more advanced system or simpler vejp pens. Only two of those surveyed reported being smoke-free and still using a cig-a-like," the researchers write.
Reduces nicotine strength over time
When it came to nicotine strengths, the researchers saw a clear pattern here too. Those who started with a low nicotine strength combined with a less powerful e-cigarette were more likely to return to smoking. At the same time, the vast majority of those who managed to quit smoking gradually reduced nicotine strength as they acquired more advanced equipment.
"The delivery of nicotine is dependent on both the power of the device and knowledge of how best to use it," the researchers say. "A rule of thumb also seems to be that nicotine strength relates to previous smoking habits"
Fruit and sweets replaced tobacco flavors
The choice of flavoring also varied. Among beginners, more chose to use different tobacco flavors. But over time, the variety increases. Daily users were more likely to prefer fruit flavors (28%) compared to menthol (25%) and tobacco (26%).
"Our study shows that the choice of e-cigarette and e-liquid can influence the risk of relapse. Those who start with a simpler device and at the same time low nicotine content are more likely to fail. We see a pattern that those who succeed do so by gradually moving to more advanced devices in combination with switching from tobacco flavors to fruit, candy, and pastry flavors," the researchers write in the Harm Reduction Journal.
