More vapers are turning back to cigarettes as a quitting method
New surveys in New Zealand and the UK show that a notable share of people are using cigarettes to quit vaping.
Action on Smoking and Health commissioned two surveys that reveal a growing pattern of people switching from e-cigarettes back to combustible cigarettes as a way to quit vaping. In New Zealand, 14% of current smokers said they smoked to stop vaping, and in the United Kingdom, 19% of adults reported the same strategy, making it the second-most common quitting method. Although smoking prevalence has fallen dramatically since the 1960s, experts argue that public-health messaging has over-emphasized vaping risks, causing confusion about relative dangers.
ASH Director Ben Youdan called the trend a serious misinformation problem, while Tufts professor Michael Siegel linked it to an overcorrection in anti-vaping campaigns. The CDC notes smoking still causes about 480,000 deaths annually, whereas vaping-related deaths remain far lower. Researchers stress that accurate risk communication is essential to keep smoking rates low and protect nicotine-dependent individuals.
Why it matters
Misunderstanding vaping risks could push more people back to smoking, increasing health harms.
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