THE ESSENTIAL
- People who switch from smoking to vaping have better respiratory health.
- They have fewer wheezing symptoms.
- On the other hand, smoking traditional and electronic cigarettes at the same time does not lead to any improvement in lung health.
Many smokers turn to electronic cigarettes when trying to quit smoking. But does this initiative help reduce their respiratory problems like wheezing and coughing?
American researchers attempted to answer this question by using data from the longitudinal study on tobacco consumption in the USA called Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health. Their findings were presented in the journal Nicotine and Tobacco Research.
Vaping: fewer signs of wheezing
The scientists took data from volunteers followed between 2013 and 2019. The latter had declared that they smoked cigarettes exclusively at the start of the survey and reported coughing or wheezing, common symptoms among smokers.
The volunteers were then divided into four groups: those who stopped nicotine completely, those who switched from smoking to vaping, those who did not stop smoking cigarettes and then those who continued to smoke while starting to vape. .
Analyzes showed that people who gave up tobacco for e-cigarettes observed an improvement in their respiratory health. They had a significant reduction in wheezing. However, their chronic cough persisted.
If the study shows benefits from the adoption of vaping among former smokers, completely stopping cigarettes, whether electronic or traditional, remains the best solution for the lungs. “Switching from smoking cigarettes to quitting nicotine altogether was, unsurprisingly, associated with the greatest improvements in coughing and wheezing”specify the authors in their press release.
E-cigarette: it should not be used at the same time as tobacco
If e-cigarettes seem associated with an improvement in respiratory symptoms, this beneficial effect is completely lost if nicotine is still present in consumers’ daily lives.
Indeed, participants who smoked and vaped at the same time did not experience overall respiratory improvement. Their symptom resolution rates were 14% lower for cough and 15% lower for wheezing. “(People) who started using e-cigarettes while continuing to smoke the same number of regular cigarettes experienced worsening wheezing and coughing.”confirm the authors.
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