Search

The question of whether e‑cigarettes are a useful tool for smoking cessation is part of an ongoing and highly controversial scientific debate. In practice, however, the number of people trying to quit tobacco consumption by using these products is steadily increasing. This discussion article provides an outline of the current state of research on the issue of whether and to what extent e‑cigarettes can help people quit smoking.Of course, e‑cigarettes also have a certain potential for harm, especially if nicotine dependence is unnecessarily prolonged. Nevertheless, it can make an important contribution to harm reduction in nicotine consumption. Hence, the product should get treated as a serious alternative to nicotine replacement therapies (NRTs) in the scientific discussion. Like NRTs, e‑cigarettes offer a less harmful way of consuming nicotine that greatly reduces many of the health risks associated with tobacco consumption, such as the absorption of carcinogenic substances. Recent studies and reviews suggest that the product can be at least as effective as nicotine replacement therapies in helping people quit smoking. Individual studies even demonstrate the increased effectiveness of e‑cigarettes in supporting smoking cessation.Nevertheless, the review of the current literature shows that more high-quality research is needed to further understand the product and its properties. In terms of the harm reduction approach, however, it would already be more appropriate to also rely on e‑cigarettes instead of trying to force immediate and complete nicotine abstinence. After all, in the process of quitting smoking, the fastest possible cessation of the more unhealthy consumption of tobacco should be prioritized in order to immediately minimize unnecessary health risks.Ob E‑Zigaretten ein nützliches Werkzeug zur Rauchentwöhnung sind, ist in der Wissenschaft bis heute hoch umstritten. In der Realität steigen aber kontinuierlich die Zahlen derer, die mithilfe dieses Produktes versuchen, sich den Tabakkonsum abzugewöhnen. Dieser Diskussionsbeitrag gibt einen Überblick über die aktuelle Forschung zur Frage, ob und inwiefern E‑Zigaretten tatsächlich beim Rauchausstieg helfen können.Zwar besitzt die E‑Zigarette auch ein gewisses Schadenspotenzial, insbesondere dann, wenn der Nikotinkonsum unnötig verlängert wird. Dennoch kann sie einen wichtigen Beitrag zur Schadensminimierung bei einer Nikotinabhängigkeit leisten. Daher sollte das Produkt auch in der wissenschaftlichen Diskussion als eine ernsthafte Alternative zu Nikotinersatztherapien (NET) behandelt werden. Denn die E‑Zigarette bietet eine weniger schädliche Aufnahmeform für Nikotin an, die viele gesundheitliche Risiken des Tabakkonsums wie die Aufnahme karzinogener Stoffe stark reduziert. Aktuelle Studien und Übersichtsarbeiten deuten darauf hin, dass das Produkt mindestens genauso effektiv helfen kann wie NET. Einzelne Studien weisen sogar eine erhöhte Effektivität der E‑Zigarette bei der Unterstützung eines Rauchausstiegs nach.Nichtsdestotrotz zeigt die Beschäftigung mit der aktuellen Literatur, dass weitere hochwertige Forschung notwendig ist, um das Produkt und seine Eigenschaften noch besser zu verstehen. Im Sinne des Ansatzes der Harm Reduction (Schadensminderung) wäre es allerdings schon heute vernünftiger, auch auf die E‑Zigarette zu setzen, anstatt die sofortige und vollständige Nikotinabstinenz erzwingen zu wollen. Denn beim Prozess des Rauchausstiegs ist eine schnellstmögliche Beendigung des stärker gesundheitsschädlichen Konsums von Tabak zu priorisieren, um unnötige gesundheitliche Risiken umgehend zu minimieren.

Note: the original source of this report is the BfR website – see Opinion No 023/2022 Nicotine pouches are new, tobacco-free products that contain a powder made up of nicotine salts and filling materials. The German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) has as- sessed the health risks from these products based on existing studies and data. This updated assessment includes an evaluation of experimental studies conducted by the BfR. Pharmaco- kinetic studies show that at least half of the nicotine in the pouch can be absorbed. Relevant nicotine blood levels were achieved, i.e. levels were within a range that is comparable with conventional cigarettes. Use of high-dose products led to significantly higher nicotine levels than cigarette consumption. The German state authorities classify nicotine pouches as a ‘novel food’.

Background: The measures taken to contain the COVID-19 pandemic have led to significant changes in people’s daily lives. This paper examines changes in substance use during the first lockdown (March–July 2020) and investigates mental health burdens in substance users with increased consumption of alcohol, nicotine or tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in Germany compared to users with unchanged or reduced consumption. Method: In a cross-sectional online survey, 2369 people were asked about their mental health and their substance use during the first lockdown in Germany. Results: Of the participants, 28.5% increased their alcohol use, 28.8% their use of tobacco products, and 20.6% their use of THC-containing products during the pandemic. The groups with increased alcohol, nicotine, and THC use during the first lockdown reported more depressive symptoms and anxiety. Individuals who reported increased consumption of alcohol or nicotine were also more likely to experience loneliness and have suicidal thoughts and were more often stressed due to social distancing. Conclusion: Alcohol, nicotine and THC increased in a subgroup of consumers who reported to have more mental health problems compared to individuals who did not increase their consumption. This increased substance use could, therefore, be understood as a dysfunctional strategy to cope with negative emotions during the lockdown.

Considering the growing popularity and rapid evolution of e-cigarettes, we examined e-cigarette use and tobacco smoking trends, and e-cigarette consumption patterns (i.e., device type, nicotine level) among adolescents and young adults in Germany.Data from 26 waves of the German Study on Tobacco Use (DEBRA), a repeated cross-sectional nationwide household survey, were used to explore trends in the prevalence of ever e-cigarette use and tobacco smoking in a sample of adolescents (aged 14-17 years, N = 1,396) and young adults (aged 18-24 years, N = 4,685) between June/July 2016 and Aug/Sept 2020. Among current e-cigarette users (N = 208), consumption patterns were examined. Associations with e-cigarette use were analysed using multivariable regression.Adolescent e-cigarette use increased from 9.2% in 2016 to 16.5% in 2017, decreased in 2018 to 8.3% and then gradually increased to 13.4% by 2020. Adolescent tobacco smoking followed a similar trend. Young adult e-cigarette use rates remained relatively stable at 19.1% on average, while tobacco smoking slowly declined (2016: 44.7%, 2020: 38.5%). More than half of current e-cigarette users used refillable-style e-cigarettes (59.4% adolescents; 68.4% young adults) and also smoked tobacco (62.5% adolescents; 79.4% young adults). About 41.6% of adolescents and 56.0% of young adults vaped with nicotine. Among young adults, men (OR = 1.5; 95%CI: 1.3-1.8) and former (OR = 9.6; 95%CI: 1.1-13.1) and current (OR = 10.7; 95%CI: 8.7-13.2) tobacco smokers were more likely to have vaped.E-cigarette use continues to rise in German adolescents and young adults requiring targeted health interventions and campaigns aimed at preventing and/or reducing use in this population.