JAMA publishes guidelines recommending e-cigarettes for smoking cessation

New clinical guidelines published in the medical journal JAMA suggest that e-cigarettes should be utilized as a tool for smoking cessation, on par with other forms of nicotine replacement therapy. The recommendations, developed by 24 experts from the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco, are intended for clinicians in the United States.

The report indicates strong evidence that e-cigarettes can assist adult smokers in quitting and may be more effective than traditional nicotine replacement therapies such as patches, gums, and lozenges. Because e-cigarettes do not involve tobacco combustion, users are exposed to significantly lower levels of carcinogens and other harmful substances, with some levels being up to 90 percent lower than traditional cigarettes.