Mistruth 1 - Vapes can help me quit smoking. Truth: That’s an inaccurate claim.
Studies show that smokers who used vapes to help them quit cigarettes were less successful compared to other quit attempters (pharmaceutical aid or no product).
Nearly 60% of recent quitters who were daily vape users relapsed and resumed cigarette smoking within 2 years1.
Smokers using vapes as a cessation tool may also end up both vaping and smoking2, which is more harmful than using vapes or cigarettes individually.
Mistruth 2 – Vaping is not ad addictive as smoking. Truth: No.
The nicotine present per puff of a vape can be up to 1.2 times more than the maximum amount of nicotine present in each puff of a cigarette.
There is growing evidence that youths who have never smoked but use vapes are at a higher risk (2.7 to 4 times) of smoking cigarettes later in life3.
Mistruth 3: I can stop vaping whenever I want to. Truth: Are you sure?
Vapes contain the highly addictive chemical nicotine. When inhaled, nicotine is absorbed within 20 seconds into the bloodstream and releases a feel-good chemical called dopamine in the brain. This dopamine "rush" is a big part of the addictive process.
When one stops vaping, the level of nicotine in the person’s brain decreases, leading to increased cravings for nicotine. This can result in nicotine dependence. Attempting to quit may cause withdrawal symptoms, potentially leading the person to resume vaping or smoking4. Hence, quitting vaping is challenging due to its highly addictive nature.
Mistruth 4: I want to quit vaping but if I ask for help, I will get into trouble. Truth: That’s false.
The HPB I Quit Programme focuses on helping smokers and vapers quit their nicotine addiction to achieve a healthier, nicotine-free lifestyle.
You can dial in to Quitline at 1800 438 2000 to seek help5. Quitline is a tele-counselling service and a safe space readily available to support you in quitting.
If you are currently attending school, you can contact your school’s Student Health Advisor or school counsellor to seek cessation help as well.
Sources
1 Ruifeng, C., Peirce, J. P., Leas, E. C., Benmarhnia, T., Strong, D. R., White, M. M., Stone, M., Trinidad, D. R., McMenamin, S. B., & Messer, K. (2022, February 7). Effectiveness of e-cigarettes as aids for smoking cessation: evidence from the PATH Study cohort, 2017–2019. https://tobaccocontrol.bmj.com/content/tobaccocontrol/early/2022/01/11/tobaccocontrol-2021-056901.full.pdf
2 Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023, October 13). Dual Use of Tobacco Products . Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/campaign/tips/diseases/dual-tobacco-use.html
3 Berry, K. M., Reynolds, L. M., Collins, J. M., Siegel, M. B., Fetterman, J. L., Hamburg, N. M., Bhatnagar, A., Benjamin, E. J., & Stokes, A. (2018). E-cigarette initiation and associated changes in smoking cessation and reduction: the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health Study, 2013–2015. Tobacco Control, tobaccocontrol-2017-054108. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29574448/
4 Benowitz, N. L. (2010, June 17). Nicotine Addiction. New England Journal of Medicine, 362(24), 2295–2303. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2928221/
Credits to Health Promotion Board. Updated as of 31 July 2024 Content Source:
https://www.healthhub.sg/programmes/iquit/e-cig/vaping-mistruths#homes