Vaping to quit

Vaping is not a proven way to quit smoking

On the surface, e-cigarettes could appear to be a less harmful alternative to regular cigarettes. While we don’t know the long-term harms, vaping certainly isn’t harmless. E-cigarettes are not a proven safe and effective smoking cessation aid. All vapes have toxic chemicals in their e-liquid and heated vapour, including some of the same lung-damaging toxins found in tobacco smoke.

Vapes aren’t recommended for use unless people have tried proven cessation aids such as nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) and have not successfully quit. If you want to try vaping to quit smoking, you need to have a prescription from an Australian medical practitioner.

There are proven safe and effective options to help smokers quit. Remember, there’s still so much unknown about the long-term effects of vapes and e-cigarettes. The best thing you can do for your health is to be smoke-free and vape-free. 

Does vaping to quit smoking work?

More studies on the effectiveness of vaping to help people quit smoking are needed.

The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), Australia's main body regulating therapeutic items, has not assessed any vapes or e-cigarettes as safe, high quality or effective in helping people to stop smoking. In clinical trials, most people who used either nicotine or non-nicotine e-cigarettes did not stop smoking.

It's important that if you are considering vaping to quit smoking you don't use both products together ('dual use').

You should talk to your doctor or Quitline about other strategies to quit before deciding.

What’s in vapes and e-cigarettes?

Vapes and e-cigarettes come in different shapes and sizes. Some are designed to look just like regular cigarettes, while others have tank-style designs with adjustable power settings.

There are two main types sold in Australia:

• Vapes containing nicotine
• Vapes without nicotine

Vaping products aren't always labelled correctly, and it can be hard to tell if they contain nicotine by looking at the packaging. Another misconception is that vapes are water-based. The main ingredient is propylene glycol, vegetable glycerine or glycerol. While these chemical compounds have been used for decades as food additives, their safety when inhaled is currently being researched.

Recent studies have found that inhaling these chemicals can lead to lung inflammation. In addition, vapes also contain harmful chemicals like acetone which is found in nail polish remover, cleaning products and bug spray.

Speak to your doctor

Before you try using vapes to quit smoking, have a talk with your GP or health professional to discuss all the quit options. If you’ve tried other methods, prescribed nicotine vaping could be an appropriate option for you.

Your doctor will advise that you replace smoking with vaping, avoiding any ‘dual use’ of tobacco and vapes. They’ll also recommend that you try vaping for a short-term period of three to six months, as long-term use of vapes should be avoided.

It's also important that you make return appointments with your health professional to ensure regular review and monitoring of your progress.

Is vaping to quit safe?

Vaping may help some people stop smoking if they haven’t had any luck using TGA-approved products. It’s not recommended as a first option to support a quit attempt.

Using proven smoking cessation medications such as NRT along with counselling support is the most effective way to quit smoking.

Vaping to quit is not proven as a safe and effective way to quit smoking. Talk to the Quitline to learn more.