Discontinuation treatment can help such double nicotine users
Researchers at the University of Washington School of Medicine in St. Louis have found that when smokers try to quit, some people switch to e-cigarettes, but such people often smoke traditional cigarettes or e-cigarettes. Become a dual nicotine user who smokes. Fortunately, researchers have found that smoking cessation treatments focused on nicotine replacement and counseling can help quit such dual users.
Most of the 40 million Americans who smoke cigarettes say they want to quit smoking, and some are moving to e-cigarettes as a step towards quitting smoking. But more and more such people become double nicotine users: they smoke traditional cigarettes and arc e-cigarettes, researchers at Washington University in St. Louis’ School of Medicine have discovered.
Instead of stopping addiction, many people will consume significantly more nicotine. Fortunately, researchers say that smoking cessation treatments approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which focuses on nicotine replacement and counseling, can help stop such dual users. is. In fact, such treatments seem to work not only for those who smoke traditional cigarettes exclusively, but also for dual users.
Findings will be available in the journal Thorax on 21 July.
“We recommend FDA-approved treatments such as nicotine replacement, the drug varenicline, and counseling for smokers,” said Li-Shiun Chen, an associate professor of psychiatry. “But we know that more and more people are using both cigarettes and e-cigarettes. Fortunately, tobacco treatment has helped these people stop smoking and add nicotine. It can help you beat it. “
Every year, about 70% of smokers try to quit smoking. Another 20% say they want to reduce smoking. However, only about 5% of people who have not received treatment such as nicotine replacement therapy or counseling have successfully quit smoking.
In this review of the anonymized e-health records of more than 110,000 smokers seen in the Burns-Jewish Hospital Outpatient Clinic between 2018 and 2020, Chen and her colleagues are e-cigarette users. I found that the number of vape has tripled. Obviously some people started vaping as a potential step to quit, but many seemed to be stuck. Instead of quitting, they started vaping, continuing to smoke traditional cigarettes.
A relatively small but increasing proportion of smokers surveyed became dual users during the course of the survey. Approximately 0.8% reported double use in the first year of the survey, but when data collection was complete, that number increased to 2.3%. The author said the actual number of dual users was probably higher.
Researchers have found that about one in five (20.8%) dual users quit smoking within 12 months. This is compared to the 16.8% smoking cessation rate for those who smoke traditional cigarettes.
Treatment still seemed to be the key to dual users. Almost one-third (29%) became non-smokers after 12 months when they received smoking cessation treatment. About 17% of untreated dual users were able to quit.
Brendan T. Heiden, MD, the lead author of surgery internship and cardiothoracic surgery researcher, said that although the smoking cessation rate was higher for dual users, about two-thirds were smokers one year after treatment. I said there was. That, coupled with the fact that little is known about the long-term health effects of using e-cigarettes, means that he and Chen do not recommend that anyone who wants to quit smoking start smoking.
“The current scientific consensus is that using both cigarettes and e-cigarettes is bad for you,” Heiden said. “Current guidelines do not recommend smoking cessation, but as more people use both of these products, traditional FDA-approved tobacco treatments such as nicotine replacement therapy and behavioral supportive care can help. I found out. I’m done. “
