Growing evidence of the effectiveness of nicotine e-cigarettes should give GPs confidence to prescribe them to patients trying to quit smoking, according to Professor Nick Zwar. 

The former chair of the RACGP’s Smoking Cessation Expert Advisory Group says there has long been concern about small sample sizes in studies but the evidence base is beginning to shift.

Last month, a Cochrane review update reaffirmed its 2022 conclusion that there was high-certainty evidence that regulated nicotine vapes led to better quit rates than traditional nicotine replacement therapy (NRT).

The update suggested that nicotine e-cigarettes resulted in about four additional people quitting for every 100 treated compared with NRT in absolute terms, although the true benefit could range from one to seven additional quitters.