Nicotine vaping effectiveness and long-term impact research

A major Cochrane review of 80 randomized controlled trials involving nearly 30,000 participants has found that nicotine e-cigarettes are more effective at helping people quit smoking than traditional nicotine replacement therapies, such as patches and gum. The analysis indicates that for every 100 people attempting to quit, approximately eight to ten people successfully stop using nicotine vapes for at least six months, compared to about six people using replacement products.

In New Zealand, these findings are particularly relevant as the country faces high smoking rates among Māori adults, which stand at 15 percent compared to a national average of 6.8 percent. While smoking rates have declined over the long term, national progress has flattened in recent years.

Conversely, research from the University of Texas at El Paso suggests potential long-term risks regarding adolescent use. A study published in Psychopharmacology using animal models found that nicotine vapor exposure during adolescence can leave lasting imprints on the brain's reward system. The researchers observed that subjects exposed to nicotine early in life showed increased nicotine-seeking behavior in late adulthood, even after extended periods of abstinence.