Let's talk e-cigarettes

Jamie Hartmann-Boyce and Nicola Lindson explore new e-cigarette research and speak with Eden Evins from Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, about her randomized clinical trial on varenicline for youth vaping cessation. Associate Professor Jamie Hartmann-Boyce and Associate Professor Nicola Lindson discuss the new evidence in e-cigarette research and interview Professor Eden Evins from Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston. In the April podcast Eden Evins discusses the findings of their new randomised clinical trial to evaluate the efficacy of varenicline for nicotine vaping cessation in 261 treatment seeking youth (16-24 years) who do not smoke tobacco regularly. This study has just been published in JAMA, April 2025 (DOI:10.1001/jama.2025.3810 NCT05367492). Professor Evins describes her interest in the high use of vapes among young people and the speed at which this increase to a different flavoured form of nicotine has occurred. Professor Evins and her team thought that varenicline, a pill based drug that is used for quitting smoking, could work for vaping cessation. She talks about the huge demand to take part in the study and how the team had to pause recruitment to keep up. She describes how young people were indignant, they had not expected to become addicted. Professor Evins says that when young people found they couldn't sit through a study session without needing to vape they were surprised and felt taken advantage of by marketers and these flavored products that they had thought were for fun. Their study funded by the National Institutes of Health in the US shows that the continuous abstinence rates in the last month of treatment (51% vs 14%) and at 6-month follow-up (28% vs 7%) are higher in the varenicline group than in the placebo group. This was a 12-week trial with 6 month follow up. Treatment-emergent adverse events did not differ significantly between groups. In summary varenicline, when added to brief cessation counselling, is well tolerated and promotes nicotine vaping cessation compared with placebo in youth with addiction to vaped nicotine. This podcast is a companion to the electronic cigarettes Cochrane living systematic review and Interventions for quitting vaping review and shares the evidence from the monthly searches. Our search for the EC for smoking cessation review carried out on 1st April 2025 found 1 new ongoing study (NCT06789692) and 5 linked papers. Our search for our interventions for quitting vaping review up to 1st April 2025 found 3 new ongoing studies (NCT06862050; TCTR20250203006; NCT06885606), For further details see our webpage under 'Monthly search findings': https://www.cebm.ox.ac.uk/research/electronic-cigarettes-for-smoking-cessation-cochrane-living-systematic-review-1 For more information on the full Cochrane review of E-cigarettes for smoking cessation updated in January 2025 see: https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD010216.pub9/full For more information on the full Cochrane review of Interventions for quitting vaping published in January 2025 see: https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD016058.pub2/full This podcast is supported by Cancer Research UK.

Jamie Hartmann-Boyce and Nicola Lindson discuss emerging evidence in e-cigarette research and interview Monserrat Conde from the University of Oxford. Associate Professor Jamie Hartmann-Boyce and Associate Professor Nicola Lindson discuss the new evidence in e-cigarette research and interview Dr Monserrat Conde from the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford. In the March podcast Monserrat Conde discusses the findings of the recent systematic review of electronic cigarettes and subsequent smoking in young people and an evidence and gap map. The systematic review aims to assess the evidence for a relationship between the use of e-cigarettes /vapes and subsequent smoking in young people under 30, and whether this differs by demographic characteristics. There is very low certainty evidence suggesting that e-cigarette use and availability are inversely associated with smoking in young people (i.e. as e-cigarettes become more available and/or are used more widely, youth smoking rates go down or, conversely, as e-cigarettes are restricted, youth smoking rates go up). At an individual level, people who vape appear to be more likely to go on to smoke than people who do not vape; however, it is unclear if these behaviours are causally linked. Monserrat discusses the differences in the information coming from the population studies compared to the individual level studies and notes that most studies are from high income countries, in particular from the US. To see the full review: https://doi.org/10.1111/add.16773 This podcast is a companion to the electronic cigarettes Cochrane living systematic review and Interventions for quitting vaping review and shares the evidence from the monthly searches. Our literature searches for the EC for smoking cessation review carried out on 1st March 2025 found 1 new study (DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2024.112271), one new ongoing study (ACTRN12625000179437) and two records linked to studies included in the review. Our literature searches for the interventions for quitting vaping review carried out on 1st March 2025 found 2 new ongoing studies (NCT06832098, ACTRN12625000143426) and four records linked to studies included in the review. For further details see our webpage under 'Monthly search findings': https://www.cebm.ox.ac.uk/research/electronic-cigarettes-for-smoking-cessation-cochrane-living-systematic-review-1 For more information on the full Cochrane review of E-cigarettes for smoking cessation updated in January 2025 see: https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD010216.pub9/full For more information on the full Cochrane review of Interventions for quitting vaping published in January 2025 see: https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD016058.pub2/full This podcast is supported by Cancer Research UK.

Jamie Hartmann-Boyce and Nicola Lindson discuss emerging evidence in e-cigarette research and interview Olivier Drouin from the University of Montreal, Canada. Associate Professor Jamie Hartmann-Boyce and Associate Professor Nicola Lindson discuss the new evidence in e-cigarette research and interview Dr Olivier Drouin. Dr Olivier Drouin is a Clinical Assistant Professor in both the Department of Paediatrics and Department of Social and Preventive Medicine at Université de Montréal. In the February podcast Olivier Drouin discusses his ongoing pilot randomized trial of a brief digital screening and intervention tool for parental and adolescents to address tobacco and electronic cigarette use, CanCEASE. This study takes place in paediatric medical care settings in Canada and is funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. Their pilot study aims to demonstrate the feasibility and evaluate the preliminary effectiveness of the CEASE program for parental smoking cessation and its adapted version for adolescent smoking cessation and adolescent and parental vaping cessation. There is a strong need for effective and cost-effective smoking and vaping cessation interventions for parents and adolescents. If successful, this study will help inform the preparation of a fully powered randomized controlled trial of CEASE in Canada in these populations. Olivier Drouin discusses the importance of behavioural science in understanding the drivers of behaviour and health behaviour change, including the use of scientific method to understand rational and irrational behaviours, habit formation and the role of peer pressure and social norms. The pilot study discussed in this podcast by Chadi at al 2023 is DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.2196/47978; NCT05366790. This podcast is a companion to the electronic cigarettes Cochrane living systematic review and Interventions for quitting vaping review and shares the evidence from the monthly searches. Our literature searches for the EC for smoking cessation review carried out on 1st February 2025 found 2 new studies (Ikonomidis 2024 DOI: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehae666.3388; Kouroutzoglou 2024 DOI: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehae666.2955) and 6 papers linked to studies included in our review. Our catch-up search for our interventions for quitting vaping review up to 1st February 2025 found 7 new ongoing studies and 4 linked papers. For further details see our webpage under 'Monthly search findings': https://www.cebm.ox.ac.uk/research/electronic-cigarettes-for-smoking-cessation-cochrane-living-systematic-review-1 For more information on the full Cochrane review of E-cigarettes for smoking cessation updated in January 2025 see: https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD010216.pub9/full For more information on the full Cochrane review of Interventions for quitting vaping published in January 2025 see: https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD016058.pub2/full This podcast is supported by Cancer Research UK.

Jamie Hartmann-Boyce and Nicola Lindson discuss emerging evidence in e-cigarette research and talk about the findings of their newly published Cochrane review of interventions for quitting vaping. Associate Professor Jamie Hartmann-Boyce and Associate Professor Nicola Lindson discuss the new evidence in e-cigarette research. Jamie and Nicola share the findings of their new Cochrane review of interventions for quitting vaping published in January 2025 and funded by Cancer Research UK (https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD016058.pub2). This new review included nine studies in just over 5,000 participants. Studies tested nicotine replacement therapy, cytisine, varenicline, nicotine/vaping reduction and text message-based interventions. The review found that text-message-based interventions may help young people to stop vaping and that varenicline may help people to stop vaping when compared to no or minimal support. There was some promising evidence from a shorter study of cytisine. More information is needed on other interventions, on potential harms and on the effect on use of tobacco cigarettes. Twenty ongoing studies looking at a range of interventions were identified in the review. The motivation for the review and the press coverage is also discussed. This podcast is a companion to the electronic cigarettes Cochrane living systematic review and Interventions for quitting vaping review and shares the evidence from the monthly searches. Our literature searches for the EC for smoking cessation review carried out on 1st December and 1st January found 3 new studies (Kale 2024 DOI 10.1101/2024.09.13.24313612; Pericot-Valverde 2024 DOI 10.1093/ntr/ntae260; Sifat 2024 DOI 10.1016/j.dadr.2024.100295) and 3 linked studies (DOIs 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e39695; 10.1111/add.16698; 10.1093/ntr/ntae223) For further details see our webpage under 'Monthly search findings': https://www.cebm.ox.ac.uk/research/electronic-cigarettes-for-smoking-cessation-cochrane-living-systematic-review-1 For more information on the full Cochrane review of E-cigarettes for smoking cessation updated in January 2024 see: https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD010216.pub8/full For more information on the full Cochrane review of Interventions for quitting vaping published in January 2025 see: https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD016058.pub2/full This podcast is supported by Cancer Research UK.

Jamie Hartmann-Boyce and Nicola Lindson discuss emerging evidence in e-cigarette research and interview Marathi Vojjala from New York University, Global Institute of Public Health, USA. Associate Professor Jamie Hartmann-Boyce and Associate Professor Nicola Lindson discuss the new evidence in e-cigarette research and interview Dr Marathi Vojjala from the Global Institute of Public Health, New York University, USA. In the November podcast Marathi Vojjala discusses her pilot randomised controlled trial (RCT) that aims to investigate the effects of switching to electronic cigarettes from combustible cigarettes and the potential acceptability of e-cigarettes or as a harm reduction strategy among individuals with chronic diseases who smoke. This study examines examining the potential of behavioural counselling paired with e-cigarettes versus nicotine replacement therapy (e.g. nicotine patches or gum) for achieving harm reduction and decreased combustible cigarette use. The findings from this pilot RCT hold significant implications for chronic conditions such as COPD, asthma, CAD, and peripheral arterial disease who smoke combustible cigarettes. The observed reduction in CPD and improvement in respiratory symptoms suggest that switching to e-cigarettes appears feasible and acceptable among those with chronic diseases. These results suggest that e-cigarettes may offer an alternative for individuals struggling to quit combustible cigarette smoking through existing pharmacotherapies. This study supports further exploration of switching to e-cigarettes as a harm reduction strategy among combustible cigarette users who have been unsuccessful at quitting by other means. This podcast is a companion to the electronic cigarettes Cochrane living systematic review and shares the evidence from the monthly searches. Our literature searches carried out on 1st November found 1 new ongoing study (NCT06614504) & 2 linked papers (DOIs: 10.1111/dar.13953 & 10.1001/jamainternmed.2024.5196) For further details see our webpage under 'Monthly search findings': https://www.cebm.ox.ac.uk/research/electronic-cigarettes-for-smoking-cessation-cochrane-living-systematic-review-1 For more information on the full Cochrane review updated in January 2024 see: https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD010216.pub8/full This podcast is supported by Cancer Research UK.

Jamie Hartmann-Boyce and Nicola Lindson discuss emerging evidence in e-cigarette research and interview Stephen Higgins from the University of Vermont Associate Professor Jamie Hartmann-Boyce and Associate Professor Nicola Lindson discuss the new evidence in e-cigarette research and interview Professor Stephen Higgins from the University of Vermont Tobacco Center of Regulatory Science, Burlington, USA. Professor Stephen Higgins uses the concepts and methods of behavioural economics and behavioural pharmacology to investigate tobacco, illicit drugs, and other health-related risk behaviours in vulnerable populations. In the October podcast Stephen Higgins describes his recent studies on reduced nicotine cigarettes and e-cigarettes in high-risk populations. Their three randomised clinical trials involved 326 participants. They found that decreases in cigarettes smoked daily, resulting from smoking cigarettes with reduced nicotine content, were significantly larger when adults from at-risk populations had access to e-cigarettes in their preferred flavours. Their study findings indicate that access to preferred flavoured e-cigarettes has the potential to enhance the effect of a nicotine-reduction policy on cigarette smoking in populations with psychiatric conditions or lower education level who are at greatest risk for smoking and associated harm. This podcast is a companion to the electronic cigarettes Cochrane living systematic review and shares the evidence from the monthly searches. Our literature searches carried out on 1st October found: 2 new studies. The study by Higgins et al described on this podcast (DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.31731) and DOI: 10.1093/ntr/ntae212. We also found 3 linked papers (10.2196/58260, 10.1111/add.16633, 10.1038/s41415-024-7850-5) For further details see our webpage under 'Monthly search findings': https://www.cebm.ox.ac.uk/research/electronic-cigarettes-for-smoking-cessation-cochrane-living-systematic-review-1 For more information on the full Cochrane review updated in January 2024 see: https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD010216.pub8/full This podcast is supported by Cancer Research UK

Jamie Hartmann-Boyce and Nicola Lindson discuss emerging evidence in e-cigarette research and interview Benjamin Toll, Medical University of South Carolina Associate Professor Jamie Hartmann-Boyce and Associate Professor Nicola Lindson discuss the new evidence in e-cigarette research and interview Professor Benjamin Toll, Medical University of South Carolina about his work and interventions to help people to quit vaping. Professor Benjamin Toll is a clinical psychologist, a professor of Public Health Sciences and Psychiatry, Co-Director of the Lung Cancer Screening Program, and Chief of Tobacco Cessation and Health Behaviors at the Hollings Cancer Center, and Director of the Tobacco Treatment Program at the Medical University of South Carolina. Ben Toll specialises in treatment of tobacco use disorders, alcohol use disorders, and improvement of health behaviours. In the September podcast Ben Tol describes how he became involved in this research field, about his smoking cessation work and about interventions to help people to quit vaping. Ben discusses some pilot studies of vaping cessation with Amanda Palmer and a study of varenicline for vaping cessation with Lisa Fucito. Ben talks about the importance of creating an evidence base to inform clinical practice guidelines for quitting vaping. At present there are very few studies looking at vaping cessation and Ben stresses the need for more studies in this field. This podcast is a companion to the electronic cigarettes Cochrane living systematic review and shares the evidence from the monthly searches. Our literature searches carried out on 1st August & 1st September found: 1 new study (10.1093/ntr/ntae158), 5 new ongoing studies (DOI: 10.51847/c5AEETRrY9; DOI: 10.1186/s13722-024-00483-5; NCT06534905; NCT06543407; NCT06554873 ) & 3 linked papers. For further details see our webpage under 'Monthly search findings': https://www.cebm.ox.ac.uk/research/electronic-cigarettes-for-smoking-cessation-cochrane-living-systematic-review-1 For more information on the full Cochrane review updated in January 2024 see: https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD010216.pub8/full This podcast is supported by Cancer Research UK.

Jamie Hartmann-Boyce and Nicola Lindson discuss emerging evidence in e-cigarette research interview Jamie Brown, University College London Associate Professor Jamie Hartmann-Boyce and Associate Professor Nicola Lindson discuss the new evidence in e-cigarette research and interview Professor Jamie Brown. Jamie Brown is Professor of Behavioural Science and Director of the Tobacco and Alcohol Research Group at University College London. He co-leads a research programme that aims to provide insights into population-wide influences on smoking, smoking cessation and alcohol reduction via management and analysis of the major population surveys, the Smoking and Alcohol Toolkit Study. He is also involved in the development of digital behaviour change technologies. His particular focus is on real-world monitoring and evaluation of national tobacco control and alcohol policies, events and stop smoking treatments including e-cigarettes and nicotine replacement therapy. In this podcast Jamie describes how he became involved in this research field. Jamie talks about the national surveillance programme, the Smoking Toolkit Study in relation to e-cigarettes. The Smoking Toolkit Study aims to monitor trends and provide insights into population wide influences on smoking and smoking cessation and be representative of adults in Great Britain. Each month a new sample of about 2400 adults complete a detailed survey with a trained Ipsos Mori interviewer. The study was started by Professor Robert West, almost 20 years ago in 2006 and has accumulated data from almost 400,000 different adults. This is an open toolkit or resource and the data is intended to be used by other researchers, policy makers and practitioners. Jamie talks about the different kinds of information that can be gathered from surveys compared to randomized controlled trials and discusses the importance of gathering data from different sources, to enhance the credibility of research findings. This podcast is a companion to the electronic cigarettes Cochrane living systematic review and shares the evidence from the monthly searches. Our literature searches carried out on 1st July found: found 2 new studies (DOI:10.1001/jamainternmed.2024.1822; DOI: 10.1158/1538-7445.AM2024-LB086), 1 new ongoing study (NCT03862924) & 4 linked papers. For further details see our webpage under 'Monthly search findings': https://www.cebm.ox.ac.uk/research/electronic-cigarettes-for-smoking-cessation-cochrane-living-systematic-review-1 For more information on the full Cochrane review updated in January 2024 see: https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD010216.pub8/full This podcast is supported by Cancer Research UK.

Jamie Hartmann-Boyce and Nicola Lindson discuss emerging evidence in e-cigarette research interview Louise Ross from the National Centre for Smoking Cessation and Training (NCSCT). Associate Professor Jamie Hartmann-Boyce and Associate Professor Nicola Lindson discuss the new evidence in e-cigarette research and interview Louise Ross from the National Centre for Smoking Cessation and Training (NCSCT). Louise Ross has worked in smoking cessation for over 20 years and consults for the NCSCT, and is part of the senior team on the Smoke Free App, a digital service for helping people stop smoking. NCSCT is a social enterprise committed to supporting the delivery of effective evidence-based tobacco control programmes and smoking cessation interventions provided by local stop smoking services, and by colleagues in the NHS and the social care sector. For further information about NSCST: https://www.ncsct.co.uk/ Louise Ross talks about the swap to stop scheme that aimed to reach a million people who smoke to give them a chance to switch less harmful vapes. The swap to stop training is not only for qualified stop smoking practitioners but is also aimed at the frontline services working with for example debt management teams within social housing, homelessness, substance use, and other groups. The training models how to raise the subject of quitting smoking and swap to stop. A four week supply of e-liquid is provided and, if funds are available, a 12 week supply. People are advised how much they should use their vape and to use an e-liquid that is strong enough to manage their withdrawal symptoms, as they would be with nicotine replacement therapy. They are also advised not to stop using a vape too soon as they may go back to tobacco smoking. Jamie and Nicola discuss ongoing work on brief opportunistic advice in financial support settings. The scoping review mentioned is available here: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/add.16533 This podcast is a companion to the electronic cigarettes Cochrane living systematic review and shares the evidence from the monthly searches. Our literature searches carried out on 1st June found: One linked study: Leavens E.; Nollen N, Ahluwalia J, Mayo M, Rice M, Brett E, Pulvers K. Changes in dependence, withdrawal, and craving among adult smokers who switch to nicotine salt pod-based e-cigarettes, Journal of Clinical and Translational Science / 2021;5(Supplement 1):85-86, DOI: 10.1017/cts.2021.622 For further details see our webpage under 'Monthly search findings': https://www.cebm.ox.ac.uk/research/electronic-cigarettes-for-smoking-cessation-cochrane-living-systematic-review-1 For more information on the full Cochrane review updated in January 2024 see: https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD010216.pub8/full This podcast is supported by Cancer Research UK.

Jamie Hartmann-Boyce and Nicola Lindson discuss emerging evidence in e-cigarette research interview Andrea Villanti. Associate Professor Jamie Hartmann-Boyce and Associate Professor Nicola Lindson discuss the new evidence in e-cigarette research and interview Associate Professor Andrea Villanti, Department of Health Behavior, Society, and Policy, Rutgers School of Public Health. Andrea Villanti's research focuses on young adult tobacco use including predictors and patterns of use and interventions to reduce tobacco use in young adults. Dr Villanti describes their randomised controlled trial to test the effect of three exposures to eight nicotine corrective messages on beliefs about nicotine, nicotine replacement therapy, e-cigarettes and reduced nicotine content cigarettes at 3-month follow-up. Their study concluded that repeated exposure to NCM was necessary to reduce false beliefs about nicotine and tobacco products and is reported in Tobacco Control e-publication, doi:10.1136/ tc-2023-058252. This podcast is a companion to the electronic cigarettes Cochrane living systematic review and shares the evidence from the monthly searches. Our literature searches carried out on 1st May found: One new study by Rabenstein A et al, Implications of Switching from Conventional to Electronic Cigarettes on Quality of Life and Smoking Behaviour: Results from the EQualLife Trial. European Addiction Research / 2024;(c60, 9502920):1-9 Three new ongoing studies: NCT06372899; NCT06373679 and Polosa et al, Protocol for the "magnitude of cigarette substitution after initiation of e-cigarettes and its impact on biomarkers of exposure and potential harm in dual users" (MAGNIFICAT) study, Frontiers in Public Health / 2024;12(101616579):1348389, DOI 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1348389 For further details see our webpage under 'Monthly search findings': https://www.cebm.ox.ac.uk/research/electronic-cigarettes-for-smoking-cessation-cochrane-living-systematic-review-1 For more information on the full Cochrane review updated in January 2024 see: https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD010216.pub8/full This podcast is supported by Cancer Research UK.