The focus of England's e-cigarette report this year was on biomarkers. Now in its eighth edition, the review is the world's most comprehensive review of e-cigarettes and reaffirmed that e-cigarettes are at least 95% less harmful than regular cigarettes.

"The new landmark review is the latest in a series of reviews carefully bringing together the science behind e-cigarettes to help reduce the harms of smoking. Using an e-cigarette is significantly less harmful than smoking. So the message is clear, if you have to choose between smoking and e-cigarettes, use e-cigarettes. If you have to choose between e-cigarettes and breathing fresh air, choose fresh air. Quitting smoking is one of the best things you can do for your health, take the Stoptober challenge," said Dr. DeGruchy.

The effects of e-cigarette use

A review prepared by researchers at King's College London and published on September 29, 2022 reiterated that compared to smoking, e-cigarette use is at least 95% less harmful. The authors of the review pointed out that using e-cigarettes instead of smoking significantly reduces exposure to toxic substances that contribute to cancer, lung disease and cardiovascular disease. However, this does not automatically mean that e-cigarette use is risk-free, especially for people who have never smoked.

This year, the review has put special emphasis on biomarkers that show the body's exposure to chemicals and toxins. The review found that e-cigarette users had significantly lower biomarkers than smokers. No changes in biomarkers were detected with passive e-cigarette use.

"E-cigarette users had lower levels of exposure to cancer-causing and other toxic substances than regular cigarette smokers. If the government wants to reach a smoke-free England by 2030, people need to be helped to quit smoking with the help of e-cigarettes, and this must also be made a priority," said Dr. Debbie Robson, senior lecturer at King's College London

Confusion about less harmfulness

Although researchers have identified the benefits of using e-cigarettes over smoking, the research shows that there is still confusion among the public about the less harmful nature of e-cigarettes. In 2021, only 34% of adult smokers in England knew that using e-cigarettes was less harmful than smoking regular cigarettes. Only 11% of smokers knew that nicotine is not the main cause of the health risks associated with smoking.

At the same time, the use of e-cigarettes among adults has increased somewhat over the years. According to research by the UK public health organization Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), 8.3% of UK adults are using e-cigarettes in 2022. Last year there were 7.1% of e-cigarette users and 6.3% the year before.

“Smoking is extremely deadly and kills one in two regular smokers. However, about two-thirds of adult smokers who would seriously benefit from switching to e-cigarettes do not know that e-cigarette use is less harmful. However, e-cigarettes are not completely risk-free and we do not recommend them to a person who is not a smoker," said Ann McNeill, leading author of the review, Professor of Tobacco Addiction at King's College London.

Source: NNA Smokefree Estonia