Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 29, 2025

Comparing the Effects of Electronic Cigarette Vapor and Cigarette Smoke in a Novel In Vivo Exposure System
Published on: May 24, 2017
E-cigarettes and nicotine abstinence: a meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials
Reiner Hanewinkel1, Kathrin Niederberger2,3, Anya Pedersen2
1Institute of Therapy and Health Research, IFT-Nord, Kiel, Germany hanewinkel@ift-nord.de.
Objectives:
To determine the effects of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) as a therapeutic intervention compared to nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) on nicotine abstinence.
Methods:
Two authors independently searched the PubMed, Embase, PsycInfo and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases for articles published up to and including 10 July 2021. We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) in which nicotine e-cigarettes were compared to NRT among current cigarette users. The primary outcome was abstaining from all nicotine-delivery devices. Secondary outcomes were 1) allocated product use (e-cigarettes or NRT) among successful cigarette quitters and 2) quitting cigarettes at the end of the trial using fixed-effect Mantel-Haenszel models.
Results:
We included four RCTs representing 1598 adult participants (51.0% females). The mean age of participants in these studies ranged from 41 to 54 years, while average baseline smoking ranged from 14 to 21 cigarettes per day. Compared to NRT, e-cigarette use was associated with lower nicotine abstinence rates at the longest follow-up (risk ratio 0.50 (95% CI 0.32-0.77)). Among successful cigarette quitters, the risk of allocated product use by the end of the observational time was higher for e-cigarette users compared to NRT (risk ratio 8.94 (95% CI 3.98-20.07)). E-cigarette users had higher cigarette smoking cessation rates compared to NRT users (risk ratio 1.58 (95% CI 1.20-2.08)).
Conclusions:
The use of e-cigarettes as a therapeutic intervention for smoking cessation may lead to permanent nicotine dependence.
More Related Videos
08:39Generation of Electronic Cigarette Aerosol by a Third-Generation Machine-Vaping Device: Application to Toxicological Studies
Published on: August 25, 2018
09:30A Microcontroller Operated Device for the Generation of Liquid Extracts from Conventional Cigarette Smoke and Electronic Cigarette Aerosol
Published on: January 18, 2018
Related Concept Videos
Stimulants
Cocaine can be administered via snorting, injection, or smoking. It primarily functions by blocking the reuptake of dopamine, resulting in a euphoric high characterized by an intense sensation of happiness and...
Statistical Methods for Analyzing Epidemiological Data
Drugs Acting on Autonomic Ganglia: Stimulants
Ganglionic stimulants activate NM nicotinic receptors in autonomic ganglia, falling into two categories: nicotine mimetics [e.g., lobeline, dimethylpiperazine, tetramethylammonium] and muscarinic receptor agonists [e.g., muscarine, methacholine]. The first category's action is rapid and blocked by nicotinic receptor antagonists, while the second category's action is delayed and blocked by atropine-like agents. Nicotine, an alkaloid, affects the heart rate by stimulating...