# Research: NRT patch + 18mg nic best to stop smoking



## Hooked (11/9/19)

https://www.planetofthevapes.co.uk/news/vaping-news/2019-09-10_vaping-helps-smokers-quit.html?

10 Sept. 2019

Associate Professor Natalie Walker and Professor Chris Bullen at the National Institute of Health Innovation, University of Auckland, New Zealand have published research that could help up to 50,000 more Kiwi lives be saved. The study, published in top medical journal The Lancet Respiratory Medicine, states that vaping helps smokers quit.

The study looked at 1124 adult smokers who were motivated to quit. The participants were split into three groups: one used just NRT patches, one used NRT patches and nicotine-free vape products, the last used NRT patches and also vaped with an 18mg eLiquid. All the adults were also offered telephone quit counselling to support them.

*Walker and Bullen discovered that the group most likely to have remained smoke-free for the six months following their involvement in the process were those in the NRT patch/18mg cohort. This group produced between 7 and 17% more quitters. [my highlights]*

[...]

Dr George Laking said: *“Almost 500, or 40 percent of participants were Māori, making it the largest randomised trial in the world of e-cigarette use involving indigenous people. Moreover, eight in every 10 Māori participants were women.* *[my highlights].* The trial has shown the feasibility of combining nicotine e-cigarettes with patches for Māori who seek to quit smoking.”

This research from The University of Auckland is perfectly timed, according to Ben Pryor, co-owner of the largest Kiwi-owned vaping company, Alt New Zealand, with the Government poised to introduce legislation to regulate vaping."

*Related:*

Nicotine patches used in combination with e-cigarettes (with and without nicotine) for smoking cessation: a pragmatic, randomised trial, The Lancet – [link]

Reactions: Winner 3 | Informative 2


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## Silver (12/9/19)

Good to see, thanks @Hooked !

I think one can easily stop smoking without the NRT patches - i.e. just 18mg eliquids
(Worked for me on the Twisp Clearo 1 back in Oct 2013)

Just reading the article, I was quite surprised at how low the absolute success rate was with those using NRT partches AND vaping with 18mg eliquid. Only 35 out of an original 500 people (7%) managed to stay smoke free after 6 months.

At least it was higher than the groups using patches plus vaping nic free or patches alone. (4% and 2% respectively)

But I am not sure I am interpreting these results correctly. They do say of the 500 people that were in the group using NRT patches AND vaping 18mg eliquid, 161 of them "withdrew or were lost to follow-up". So I would then assume that the group size should reduce to 339. Implying that the 35 successes they recorded as smoke free after 6 months represent a 10.3% success rate.

Interesting

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1


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## Hooked (12/9/19)

Silver said:


> Good to see, thanks @Hooked !
> 
> I think one can easily stop smoking without the NRT patches - i.e. just 18mg eliquids
> (Worked for me on the Twisp Clearo 1 back in Oct 2013)
> ...



Yes, you're quite right @Silver - The size of the cohort should be reduced for stats. 

I'm not surprised at the low success rate. I've tried to help a number of people to quit and only a small percentage has started vaping, but not exclusively.

Reactions: Like 1


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## RenaldoRheeder (17/9/19)

Hooked said:


> Yes, you're quite right @Silver - The size of the cohort should be reduced for stats.
> 
> I'm not surprised at the low success rate. I've tried to help a number of people to quit and only a small percentage has started vaping, but not exclusively.



Don’t be discouraged with the small percentage of success - every one that converts is a win. Switching from smoking to vaping doesn’t happen overnight for most. I have seen the most success with those that smoke while switching to vaping, and gradually reducing the number of cigarettes smoked. 

Only one convert so far has thrown the cigarettes away after about 2 days and now vape exclusively. Pod systems (like the Cue and now Cliq) seems to work the best due to the simplicity of use. 

Constant motivation and encouragement is absolutely key also. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Reactions: Like 4


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## Silver (17/9/19)

Agreed @RenaldoRheeder

I was very lucky to stumble on the forum soon after I tried vaping. I discovered a whole army of passionate enthusiasts trying out different things.

Posting here, discovering new ways to vape and several new connections made (with many long helpful phone calls) and little vape meets made a big difference to me. I think it was a major factor in me keeping up with the vaping and not going back to stinkies.

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 2


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## Jos (17/9/19)

At the end of the day you need to want to stop smoking.

Before discovering vaping I attempted quitting a number of times with a mixed bag of results but always seemed to find an excuse to light up again.

As things stand - 14 November will be 5 years since I last touched a cigarette or cigar and I can honestly say that I will never ever smoke again.

Reactions: Like 1


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