Detractors say they are a means to make smoking socially acceptable again, and that they target young people.The researchers cited studies on the topic. One trial paring e-cigarettes with and without nicotine and a nicotine patch found no differences in rates of quitting over six months. And a study that said that although 85% of e-cigarette users said they were doing so to quit, they did not quit more frequently than people who didn't use e-cigarettes.In their own study, the researchers surveyed 949 smokers and found that use of e-cigarettes at the start of the study did not predict quitting a year later. And among those who smoked at the start and a year later, use of e-cigarettes was "not associated with a change in cigarette consumption."
The researchers said that more women, younger adults and people with less education use e-cigarettes."Regulations should prohibit advertising, claiming or suggesting that e-cigarettes are effective smoking cessation devices until claims are supported by scientific evidence," the researchers Rachel Grana, Lucy Popova and Pamela Ling wrote.In an a panying editorial, Dr. Michael Katz wrote, "Unfortunately, the evidence on whether e-cigarettes help smokers to quit is contradictory and inconclusive." He added that he agreed with the researchers about claims around quitting and said that e-cigarettes should be regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration "as a drug-delivery device."
E-cigarette detractors say they could lead to increased smoking. Others make the argument that they're safer in public places and can help people quit smoking. Some munities, including Los Angeles, have restricted their use.Tom Glynn, director of Cancer Science and Trends at the American Cancer Society, told the Washington Post. "What's interesting is even the authors talk about the limitations."A small U.S. study raises new questions about whether using electronic cigarettes will lead people to quit smoking, adding to the debate over how tightly the products should be regulated.The study, which looked at the habits of 88 smokers who also used e-cigarettes, was published as a research letter in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine on Monday.