A new report based on responses to an online survey conducted by Penn State tobacco and nicotine expert Jonathan Foulds and colleagues confirms the common sense observation: e-cig users (vapers) are significantly less addicted to nicotine than are cigarette smokers.
The responses from 3,500 vapers to a standardized set of questions known as the Penn State Cigarette Dependence Index and the Penn State Electronic Cigarette Dependence Index were tabulated. Higher nicotine concentration in e-cig liquid, as well as use of advanced second-generation e-cigs, which deliver nicotine more efficiently than earlier "cigalikes," predicted dependence. Consumers who had used e-cigs longer also appeared to be more addicted.
"However, people with all the characteristics of a more dependent e-cig user still had a lower e-cig dependence score than their cigarette dependence score," Foulds said. "We think this is because they're getting less nicotine from the e-cigs than they were getting from cigarettes ¦.This is a new class of products that's not yet regulated ¦.It has the potential to do good and help a lot of people quit, but it also has the potential to do harm. Continuing to smoke and use e-cigarettes may not reduce health risks. Kids who have never smoked might begin nicotine addiction with e-cigs. There's a need for a better understanding of these products.
"We don't have long-term health data of e-cig use yet, but any common sense analysis says that e-cigs are much less toxic. And our paper shows that they appear to be much less addictive, as well. So in both measures they seem to have advantages when you're concerned about health."
This is yet another study supporting the overall safety and benefits of e-cigs, both absolutely and, especially, as compared with smoking. Some day, I believe soon, the official alarmism and corrupt antipathy to this groundbreaking, lifesaving technology will wither away in the face of the onslaught of evidence.
The findings were published in Nicotine & Tobacco Research.