Vaping was supposed to get people off smoking. Now e-cig users are switching to cigarettes to try to quit | Fortune

The article reports that a growing number of people are switching from vaping back to combustible cigarettes to quit vaping—a reversal of the intended use of e-cigarettes as a smoking cessation tool. Surveys commissioned by Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) in New Zealand and the UK found that 14% and 19% of respondents respectively had used smoking to quit vaping. Public health experts blame an overcorrection in messaging about the dangers of vaping, which has led many people to mistakenly perceive e-cigarettes as equally or more harmful than traditional cigarettes. A study by researchers at the UT Southwestern Medical Center found that the percentage of people perceiving e-cigarettes as more harmful than combustible cigarettes grew from 3% in 2012 to 30% in 2022. Despite pop culture depictions suggesting a smoking revival, CDC data shows only 9.1% of American adults smoke cigarettes, and FDA's National Youth Tobacco Survey found tobacco use among middle and high school students fell to 7.2% from 8.1%, while e-cigarette use dropped from 5.9% to 5.2%. Michael Siegel, a professor at the Tufts University School of Medicine, warns that if people view vaping and smoking as equally harmful, those already addicted to nicotine may see smoking as no greater risk, potentially increasing cigarette use among current nicotine users. Experts call for clearer, more honest, and nuanced public health messaging about the relative risks of vaping versus smoking.

(Source：Fortune)