Nicotine e-cigarettes more effective for quitting smoking, review finds
A Cochrane review of 80 trials found vaping led to higher quit rates than nicotine replacement therapy.
AI-assisted coverage comparison, editor-supervised · How this was made

Nicotine e-cigarettes more effective for quitting smoking, review finds
Photograph: News Medical (embedded from source)
What this story says
- Nicotine e-cigarettes helped more smokers quit than nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) such as patches and gum, according to a Cochrane review.
- The review of 80 trials involving 29,861 participants found about four more quitters per 100 people using e-cigarettes compared to NRT.
- Higher quit rates were also found when e-cigarettes were provided compared to no support or behavioural support, though this evidence was less certain.
- Researchers found no evidence of increased serious harm from using e-cigarettes to quit, but noted that longer-term studies are needed.
Who covered it
Percentages are shares of the 63 outlets carrying a published leaning rating. 18 of the 81 outlets we know ran this story carry no rating and are not counted in them. Coverage measured .
Trust
60/100
Craft
55/100
Hype
45/100
81 sources · methodology
A comprehensive review of 80 randomized controlled trials has found that nicotine e-cigarettes are more effective in helping smokers quit than conventional methods like nicotine patches and gum. The review, which included data from 29,861 participants, concluded that e-cigarettes led to approximately four additional successful quitters per 100 people when compared to nicotine replacement therapy (NRT).
The analysis, part of an ongoing living systematic review, also indicated higher quit rates when people were provided with e-cigarettes compared to receiving no support or only behavioural support. However, the certainty of this evidence was lower due to potential risks of bias in study design. Researchers reported no evidence of increased serious harm associated with using e-cigarettes for smoking cessation, although they emphasized the need for longer-term studies to fully assess potential risks.
Disagreement on effectiveness compared to no support
News Medical reported high-certainty evidence that nicotine e-cigarettes led to higher quit rates than nicotine replacement therapy. It also stated that compared to no support or behavioural support, quit rates were still higher when people were also provided e-cigarettes, though this evidence is less certain. Science Alert stated that nicotine e-cigarettes may be the most effective option when compared to nicotine gums, patches, and behavioral support like counseling, according to the review. Science Daily reported consistent, high-quality evidence showing that nicotine vapes outperform traditional methods like patches, gum, and even behavioral support.
What the coverage left out
None of the left-rated digests mention the specific figure of 'about 4 more quitters per 100 people' that the Cochrane review found when comparing e-cigarettes to NRT. The right-rated digests do not mention the specific figure of 'about 4 more quitters per 100 people' or the 61% increased odds of success after six months reported by some outlets.
Coverage settled. We checked this 47 times and stopped on 31 Aug 2026, 21:45. The figures above are what it finished at.
How other outlets pictured it
Which photograph to run is each newsroom’s own choice. The leaning beside a name is that outlet’s published rating, not a claim that the pictures divide along it. Every picture is shown from the outlet’s own server and links to the article it ran in.

Nicotine e-cigarettes more effective for quitting smoking, review finds
The Independent (US) — embedded from source
How each side covered it
Our own reading of the reporting listed below, written from the outlets’ articles rather than quoted from them. The reasoning is set out on our methodology page.
Left
14 rated outlets
- Reports from the left-rated outlets focused on the effectiveness of vaping for smoking cessation. The Independent (US) highlighted that vaping boosts chances of quitting smoking by 61%, citing a Cochrane Review of 80 studies. It stated that between eight and ten people per 100 successfully stopped smoking using nicotine e-cigarettes, compared to six per 100 using conventional options. The Independent (UK) also reported that smokers are 'more likely to quit by using vapes compared to nicotine gum and patches', noting that vape use led to a 61% increased odds of success after six months. Watson's digest stated that eight to ten out of 100 subjects managed to avoid smoking cigarettes for at least six months. Zeit Online's digest mentioned the topic of non-smoking and the headline 'Switching to e-cigarettes can make smoking easier'.
Centre
32 rated outlets
- Centre-rated outlets reported that nicotine e-cigarettes are more effective for quitting smoking than nicotine replacement therapies like patches and gum. News Medical and Euronews stated that e-cigarettes led to about four more quitters per 100 people compared to nicotine replacement therapy.
- These reports also noted that e-cigarettes were more effective than non-nicotine alternatives or behavioural support alone. Science Alert highlighted a "catch" without specifying it in the digest.
- News Medical and Euronews quoted Dr Jamie Hartmann-Boyce, a senior author of the review, who stated that regulated nicotine e-cigarettes are substantially less harmful than smoking and a viable option for quitting.
Right
17 rated outlets
- Right-rated outlets focused on the potential of e-cigarettes to aid smoking cessation, while also introducing caveats. Handelsblatt and focus.de used the headline 'Switching to E-Cigarettes Can Make Smoking Easier', with their digests stating that an overview study shows e-cigarettes help more smokers quit than other methods, but questioning if they are truly the best way to stop. Berliner Morgenpost's digest reported that one method helps more nicotine addicts quit than others, but noted it is not risk-free. N-tv's digest focused on the difficulty many people have quitting smoking and presented e-cigarettes as one method among others. ABC's digest, however, framed vaping as a 'trap to quit smoking' and a method to 'stay addicted to nicotine', stating it is not a medical treatment and may cause health problems.
Questions about this coverage
- How did the left and right cover Nicotine e-cigarettes more effective for quitting smoking, review finds?
- Of the 63 outlets on this story carrying a published leaning rating, 22% are rated left, 51% are rated centre, 27% are rated right. Those percentages are shares of the rated outlets, not of every outlet that ran it, which was 81. The sections above set out what each side emphasised, in its own terms.
- Is Nicotine e-cigarettes more effective for quitting smoking, review finds left or right?
- Neither side dominates it. Of the 63 rated outlets on this story, 22% are rated left, 51% are rated centre, 27% are rated right, and no side holds the 70% this site would want before calling a field one-sided. A story is not left or right in any case; the outlets that carried it are what carry ratings.
- Is the coverage of Nicotine e-cigarettes more effective for quitting smoking, review finds biased?
- Nicotine e-cigarettes more effective for quitting smoking, review finds is one event reported by 81 outlets, and this page does not rate the story as biased or unbiased. What it publishes is the spread: which outlets ran it, where named rating organisations place each of them on the spectrum, and what each side chose to lead with. A leaning rating describes an outlet's record over time, not this article, and the two should not be run together.
- Which outlets covered Nicotine e-cigarettes more effective for quitting smoking, review finds?
- 81 that we know of, every one of them listed further up this page with a link to its own report and to what we hold on the publisher. Nothing here is a summary of somebody else's summary: the outlets are named so the original reporting can be read.
- How effective are nicotine e-cigarettes for quitting smoking?
- A Cochrane review of 80 trials found that nicotine e-cigarettes led to higher quit rates than nicotine replacement therapy, such as patches and gum. The review indicated about four more quitters per 100 people using e-cigarettes compared to NRT.
- Are there any harms associated with using e-cigarettes to quit smoking?
- Researchers found no evidence of increased serious harm from using e-cigarettes to quit smoking, according to the review. However, they noted that longer-term studies are needed to fully assess potential risks, and that findings apply specifically to regulated, nicotine-containing e-cigarettes.
- What did the review compare e-cigarettes against?
- The review compared nicotine e-cigarettes against nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) like patches and gum, non-nicotine cigarettes, and no support or behavioural support. The evidence for comparison against no or behavioural support was less certain.
Read it at the source
81 outlets, grouped by the leaning a published rating gives them. Every headline links to the original; an underlined outlet name opens our profile of that publisher.
Left
14- Vape Can Help Quit Smoking: Analysis (opens Dnevni list Danas in a new tab)
Dnevni list Danas — is Dnevni list Danas biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Does vaping help smokers quit more than gums and patches? (opens gonzagabulletin.com in a new tab)
gonzagabulletin.com — is gonzagabulletin.com biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Does vaping help smokers quit more than gums and patches? (opens ashepostandtimes.com in a new tab)
ashepostandtimes.com — is ashepostandtimes.com biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Does vaping help smokers quit more than gums and patches? (opens Grand Rapids Herald-Review in a new tab)
Grand Rapids Herald-Review — is Grand Rapids Herald-Review biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Does vaping help smokers quit more than gums and patches? (opens The Laconia Daily Sun in a new tab)
The Laconia Daily Sun — is The Laconia Daily Sun biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Does vaping help smokers quit more than gums and patches? (opens Daily Post-Athenian in a new tab)
Daily Post-Athenian — is Daily Post-Athenian biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Does vaping help smokers quit more than gums and patches? (opens Watauga Democrat in a new tab)
Watauga Democrat — is Watauga Democrat biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Does vaping help smokers quit more than gums and patches? (opens News-Herald in a new tab)
News-Herald — is News-Herald biased? Our profile of this outlet
Show 6 more
- Does vaping help smokers quit more than gums and patches? (opens Southernminn.com in a new tab)
Southernminn.com — is Southernminn.com biased? Our profile of this outlet
- E-Cigarettes Can Make Smoking Easier (opens Spiegel in a new tab)
- Vaping boosts chances of quitting smoking by 61%, study finds (opens The Independent (US) in a new tab)
The Independent (US) — is The Independent (US) biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Switching to E-Cigarettes Can Make Smoking Easier (opens watson in a new tab)
watson — is watson biased? Our profile of this outletOpinion
- Non-Smoking: Switching to E-Cigarettes Can Make Smoking Easier (opens Zeit Online in a new tab)
Zeit Online — is Zeit Online biased? Our profile of this outletOpinion
- Smokers ‘more likely to quit by using vapes compared to nicotine gum and patches’ (opens The Independent in a new tab)
The Independent — is The Independent biased? Our profile of this outlet
Centre
32- Does vaping help smokers quit more than gums and patches? (opens charitonleader.com in a new tab)
charitonleader.com — is charitonleader.com biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Does vaping help smokers quit more than gums and patches? (opens The Penn in a new tab)
- Does vaping help smokers quit more than gums and patches? (opens stonecountyenterprise.com in a new tab)
stonecountyenterprise.com — is stonecountyenterprise.com biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Does vaping help smokers quit more than gums and patches? (opens Ashley County Ledger in a new tab)
Ashley County Ledger — is Ashley County Ledger biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Does vaping help smokers quit more than gums and patches? (opens iosconews.com in a new tab)
iosconews.com — is iosconews.com biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Does vaping help smokers quit more than gums and patches? (opens The Guam Daily Post in a new tab)
The Guam Daily Post — is The Guam Daily Post biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Does vaping help smokers quit more than gums and patches? (opens The Norfolk Daily News in a new tab)
The Norfolk Daily News — is The Norfolk Daily News biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Does vaping help smokers quit more than gums and patches? (opens Delaware Business Now in a new tab)
Delaware Business Now — is Delaware Business Now biased? Our profile of this outlet
Show 24 more
- Does vaping help smokers quit more than gums and patches? (opens hazard-herald.com in a new tab)
hazard-herald.com — is hazard-herald.com biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Does vaping help smokers quit more than gums and patches? (opens The Suburban Newspaper in a new tab)
The Suburban Newspaper — is The Suburban Newspaper biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Does vaping help smokers quit more than gums and patches? (opens http://www.wfxg.com in a new tab)
http://www.wfxg.com — is http://www.wfxg.com biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Does vaping help smokers quit more than gums and patches? (opens Tioga Publishing in a new tab)
Tioga Publishing — is Tioga Publishing biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Does vaping help smokers quit more than gums and patches? (opens Leader Publications in a new tab)
Leader Publications — is Leader Publications biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Does vaping help smokers quit more than gums and patches? (opens The Anniston Star in a new tab)
The Anniston Star — is The Anniston Star biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Does vaping help smokers quit more than gums and patches? (opens Your Alaska Link in a new tab)
Your Alaska Link — is Your Alaska Link biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Does vaping help smokers quit more than gums and patches? (opens KPVI in a new tab)
- Does vaping help smokers quit more than gums and patches? (opens Floyd Chronicle & Times in a new tab)
Floyd Chronicle & Times — is Floyd Chronicle & Times biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Does vaping help smokers quit more than gums and patches? (opens Columbia Gorge News in a new tab)
Columbia Gorge News — is Columbia Gorge News biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Does vaping help smokers quit more than gums and patches? (opens InsideNoVA.com in a new tab)
InsideNoVA.com — is InsideNoVA.com biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Does vaping help smokers quit more than gums and patches? (opens Star Local in a new tab)
Star Local — is Star Local biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Does vaping help smokers quit more than gums and patches? (opens KHQ Right Now in a new tab)
KHQ Right Now — is KHQ Right Now biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Does vaping help smokers quit more than gums and patches? (opens The Indiana Gazette Online in a new tab)
The Indiana Gazette Online — is The Indiana Gazette Online biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Does vaping help smokers quit more than gums and patches? (opens The Paintsville Herald in a new tab)
The Paintsville Herald — is The Paintsville Herald biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Does vaping help smokers quit more than gums and patches? (opens KAKE News in a new tab)
- A Study Surpasses the Effective 'Swedish Way' and Points to a Less Toxic Product than Snus for Quitting Smoking (opens ElNacional.cat in a new tab)
ElNacional.cat — is ElNacional.cat biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Nicotine vapes beat patches and gum for quitting smoking, study finds (opens Euronews in a new tab)
- Nicotine e-cigarettes help more smokers quit than conventional methods (opens News Medical in a new tab)
News Medical — is News Medical biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Nicotine e-cigarettes help four more people per 100 quit than patches or gum (opens Medical Xpress in a new tab)
Medical Xpress — is Medical Xpress biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Non-Smoking: Switching to E-Cigarettes Can Make Smoking Easier (opens saarbruecker-zeitung.de in a new tab)
saarbruecker-zeitung.de — is saarbruecker-zeitung.de biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Massive Study Says Vaping Really Is The Most Effective Way to Quit Smoking – But There's a Catch (opens Science Alert in a new tab)
Science Alert — is Science Alert biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Nicotine vapes best chance to quit smoking, major review finds (opens BBC News in a new tab)
- Scientists say the evidence is clear: E-cigarettes beat patches and gum in helping smokers quit (opens Science Daily in a new tab)
Science Daily — is Science Daily biased? Our profile of this outlet
Right
17- Science Graves Myth: Vaping Is More Effective at Quitting than Patches (opens Libertad Digital in a new tab)
Libertad Digital — is Libertad Digital biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Does vaping help smokers quit more than gums and patches? (opens The Courier-Times in a new tab)
The Courier-Times — is The Courier-Times biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Does vaping help smokers quit more than gums and patches? (opens The Daily Herald in a new tab)
The Daily Herald — is The Daily Herald biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Does vaping help smokers quit more than gums and patches? (opens Bryan Times in a new tab)
Bryan Times — is Bryan Times biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Does vaping help smokers quit more than gums and patches? (opens Shelby News in a new tab)
Shelby News — is Shelby News biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Does vaping help smokers quit more than gums and patches? (opens The Daily Courier in a new tab)
The Daily Courier — is The Daily Courier biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Does vaping help smokers quit more than gums and patches? (opens The Elkhart Truth in a new tab)
The Elkhart Truth — is The Elkhart Truth biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Does vaping help smokers quit more than gums and patches? (opens Webster County Citizen in a new tab)
Webster County Citizen — is Webster County Citizen biased? Our profile of this outlet
Show 9 more
- Does vaping help smokers quit more than gums and patches? (opens The Herald Palladium in a new tab)
The Herald Palladium — is The Herald Palladium biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Study: This Is the Most Effective Way to Quit Smoking Cigarettes (opens Göteborgs-Posten in a new tab)
Göteborgs-Posten — is Göteborgs-Posten biased? Our profile of this outlet
- E-Cigarette: Does She Really Help with the Smoke Stop? (opens Kurier in a new tab)
- Almost 30,000 People Studied: This Type of Smoking Habit Works Best (opens n-tv in a new tab)
- One Study Finds an Alternative to Snus with 90% Less Toxic Substances to Quit Smoking (opens OKDIARIO in a new tab)
- Non-Smoking: Switching to E-Cigarettes Can Make Smoking Easier (opens Handelsblatt in a new tab)
Handelsblatt — is Handelsblatt biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Switching to E-Cigarettes Can Make Smoking Easier (opens focus.de in a new tab)
- Quit Smoking: According to New Study, This Method Beats Everyone Else (opens Berliner Morgenpost in a new tab)
Berliner Morgenpost — is Berliner Morgenpost biased? Our profile of this outlet
- The Vaping Trap to Quit Smoking: "It's a Method to Stay Addicted to Nicotine" (opens ABC in a new tab)
Not rated
18- Neither Gum nor Patches: This Is the Most Effective Solution to Quit Smoking and It's Not What You Think (opens gazzetta.gr in a new tab)
gazzetta.gr — is gazzetta.gr biased? Our profile of this outletOpinion
- Quitting Smoking: Vaping Is Better, but Not without Grey Areas (opens 24matins.fr in a new tab)
24matins.fr — is 24matins.fr biased? Our profile of this outletOpinion
- How Well Do E-Cigarettes Help to Stop Smoking? (opens wissenschaft.de in a new tab)
wissenschaft.de — is wissenschaft.de biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Before the TPD proposal: Cochrane gives vaping its highest grade of evidence (opens World Vapers' Alliance in a new tab)
World Vapers' Alliance
- Vapes are the best quitting aid, says Cochrane review (opens Drink and Drugs News in a new tab)
Drink and Drugs News
- Does vaping help smokers quit more than gums and patches? (opens griffonnews.com in a new tab)
griffonnews.com — is griffonnews.com biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Landmark Global Review Confirms Nicotine E-Cigarettes Help More Smokers Quit Than Traditional Therapies (opens capitalfm.africa in a new tab)
capitalfm.africa — is capitalfm.africa biased? Our profile of this outlet
- New Study: E-Cigarettes Help Quit Smoking (opens rtl.lu in a new tab)
Show 10 more
- Vaping ‘a proven and viable option’ (opens AJP in a new tab)
- Smoke Stop: E-Cigarettes Are the Most Effective Replacement Product, but Also Harmful (opens spektrum.de in a new tab)
spektrum.de — is spektrum.de biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Vapes ‘proven and viable option for people’ for quitting cigarettes (opens Nation.Cymru in a new tab)
Nation.Cymru — is Nation.Cymru biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Study: Switching to Electronic Cigarettes May Make It Easier to Quit Smoking. (opens القدس العربي in a new tab)
القدس العربي
- Switching to E-Cigarettes Can Make Smoking Easier (opens op-online.de in a new tab)
op-online.de — is op-online.de biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Updated Cochrane review on vaping for quitting smoking (opens Science Media Centre in a new tab)
Science Media Centre — is Science Media Centre biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Switching to E-Cigarettes Can Make Smoking Easier (opens onetz.de in a new tab)
- Switching to E-Cigarettes Can Make Smoking Easier (opens nordbayern.de in a new tab)
nordbayern.de — is nordbayern.de biased? Our profile of this outlet
- Non-Smoking: Switching to E-Cigarettes Can Make Smoking Easier (opens geo in a new tab)
- Switching to E-Cigarettes Can Make Smoking Easier (opens inFranken.de in a new tab)
inFranken.de — is inFranken.de biased? Our profile of this outlet
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