UK researchers want to study how e-cigarettes work to help homeless smokers quit. Using free starter kits and e-liquid, 480 homeless people will take part in a unique smoking cessation study.
70% of homeless people in the UK are smokers. This compares to 14% in the general population. Now a research team, supported by the National Institute for Health Research, wants to explore the potential of e-cigarettes to help homeless people quit smoking.
"Homelessness is often associated with extremely poor health. Smoking is one of the major factors in this." says Sharon Cox, a psychologist and behavioral researcher at the University of Chicago, who is leading the study.
Too expensive to buy an e-cig
E-cigarettes are one of the most popular ways to quit smoking in the UK. Moreover, vaping has proven to be much more effective than traditional means such as nicotine patches and chewing gum. But for a homeless person to spend £300 or more on an e-cigarette and accessories is not realistic for someone living on the margins, say the researchers.
Wants to compare e-cigarettes with other methods
With the help of some 30 homeless assistance centers around the country, 480 people will participate in the trial. The researchers will distribute free starter packs to 240 smokers. They also receive support from staff at the help center. The same number of people will receive traditional support, including information on different methods of quitting smoking and advice on nicotine replacement therapy.
"The tactic of handing out free e-cigarettes has proven to work well in the past, when we did preparatory trials. This will be a repeat study but on a larger scale. It is the first study of its kind in the world" says Professor Lynne Dawkins, addiction researcher at London South East Bank university.
A chance for those on the outside
According to estimates by the UK Department of Health, together with the Royal College of Physicians and Cancer Research UK, switching to e-cigarettes can reduce the risk of tobacco-related harm by over 95% for smokers. In practice, this is the same as quitting smoking.
"It will be a chance to quit smoking for a group in society that is often forgotten. Our government wants to reduce smoking among the population to less than 5% by 2030. This study is important to reach that goal" says Sharon Cox.
Could become standard in the future
Earlier this year, another research group launched a study to distribute free e-cigarettes in emergency departments in the UK.
"If successful, this method of smoking cessation could be used to good effect at any center in the country to help the economically disadvantaged quit smoking and improve their health," says Lynne Dawkins in a press release from the University College of London.
