Smoking Cessation Through Harm Reduction: Where Vaping Fits

We continue to follow the research on smoking cessation and vaping. It remains unclear whether vaping is an optimal long-term solution for quitting smoking, as results from high-quality studies have been mixed. That said, current evidence suggests vaping may be preferable to continued cigarette use. Research indicates that smokers who both vape and smoke are more likely to eventually quit smoking and reduce overall cigarette consumption compared with those who only smoke, which may lower exposure to harmful chemicals (Pesola et al., 2025). For now, vaping may represent the lesser of two evils when compared with ongoing combustible tobacco use.

Pesola, F., Myers Smith, K., Przulj, D., Ladmore, D., Phillips-Waller, A., McRobbie, H., & Hajek, P. (2025). Patterns of e-cigarette use and smoking cessation outcomes: Secondary analysis of a large randomised controlled trial to inform clinical advice. Nicotine & Tobacco Research. https://doi.org/10.1093/ntr/ntaf240