Nicotine e-cigarettes may be more effective than traditional nicotine replacement therapies such as patches and gum in helping people quit smoking, according to a new study led by researchers at University of Oxford.
The research, published in the journal Addiction, reviewed multiple scientific studies and found consistent evidence that nicotine e-cigarettes increase the chances of successfully quitting tobacco. However, health experts stress that these products are not risk-free and should not be used by non-smokers.
Study finds stronger results than traditional methods
The Oxford researchers analysed 14 systematic reviews conducted between 2014 and 2023 to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of nicotine e-cigarettes as a smoking cessation tool.
They also created an “Evidence and Gap Map”, designed to highlight areas where further scientific research is needed.
According to Angela Difeng Wu, senior researcher at Oxford’s Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, the findings help clarify a debate that has persisted for years.
“We hope this overview and Evidence and Gap Map can lay to rest some claims that evidence is ‘mixed’ regarding the impacts of nicotine e-cigarettes on smoking abstinence,” Wu said.
“In fact, the evidence is clear and consistent across all of the meta-analyses we consulted: e-cigarettes are effective at helping people stop smoking.”
Additional smokers quit when switching to e-cigarettes
The analysis included a 2024 review by the Cochrane Collaboration, one of the most widely respected global organisations for evidence-based health research.
That review found that for every 100 smokers trying to quit, an additional two to five people successfully stopped smoking when using nicotine e-cigarettes compared with traditional nicotine replacement therapies such as patches or gum.
Researchers say that despite growing scientific evidence, uncertainty and policy debates continue to shape how governments and health authorities approach vaping.
Health risks remain under scrutiny
Although evidence suggests e-cigarettes may help people quit smoking, scientists say their long-term health effects remain unclear.
Because e-cigarettes have only been widely available for a relatively short period, long-term research is still developing. Studies examining serious adverse health events linked to vaping remain inconclusive.
A study published in early 2026 found no direct evidence from human studies that e-cigarettes cause cancer. However, researchers confirmed that users are exposed to carcinogenic chemicals through vaping.
At the same time, switching from traditional tobacco to e-cigarettes significantly reduces exposure to cancer-causing substances compared with smoking combustible cigarettes.
Concerns about youth vaping
Public health authorities remain particularly concerned about the growing popularity of e-cigarettes among young people.
The World Health Organization estimates that more than 100 million people worldwide now use e-cigarettes. Among them are at least 15 million children aged between 13 and 15.
In countries where data is available, children are on average nine times more likely than adults to use e-cigarettes.
Etienne Krug, director of the WHO Department for Social Determinants of Health, warned that vaping could create a new generation dependent on nicotine.
“E-cigarettes are fuelling a new wave of nicotine addiction,” Krug said. “They are marketed as harm reduction but, in reality, are hooking kids on nicotine earlier and risk undermining decades of progress.”
Health experts therefore emphasise that while e-cigarettes may help existing smokers quit tobacco, they should not be seen as harmless alternatives or products suitable for non-smokers.