A new study released August 29, 2016 supported what the vaping community has been saying for years. The study, published in Nicotine & Tobacco Research, found that not only are doctors in the United States talking to their patients about electronic cigarettes, they’re also recommending these products to patients who smoke.

In fact, over 70 percent of doctors who participated in the study stated that they feel e-cigs and vape products can help reduce or even eliminate smoking in patients. Approximately half of the doctors in the survey also said that they believe e-cigs can reduce a variety of potential health risks associated with smoking.

A large majority of the physicians in the study said that patients ask about electronic cigarettes, and over 37 percent of respondents have recommended these products to their patients at one time or another.

Physicians are talking with patients about electronic cigarettes and vaping. They are suggesting these products to help reduce the risks of smoking and help improve the lives of their patients.

Currently there is a lot of contention and debate in the vaping community, the medical community, and the legislative community about how effective vaping is to reduce or eliminate traditional smoking. According to the study, 30 percent of doctors reported that, if asked by a patient, they would endorse vaping as a way to quit smoking. 37 percent of respondents said that they would suggest electronic cigarettes as a way to reduce smoking in patients. However, there are still about 21 percent who feel that they would definitely recommend against using e-cigs to stop smoking.

Obviously, physicians around the country are discussing electronic cigarettes as a smoking cessation device. This is an interesting development, because of the FDA regulations put into place as of August 8, 2016 all electronic cigarette products can no longer be marketed as a way to help with smoking cessation.

It’s clear that there is more research needed on vaping. When looking at anecdotal evidence it feels like nearly everyone knows someone who stopped smoking, or reduced how much they smoked, when they started vaping. Unfortunately, anecdotal evidence doesn’t do much for the community. There is hope that with the new FDA regulations on vaping products, more research will soon be available.

In the meantime, while we’re waiting on better research, do what you can to get involved in the vaping community and work toward better legislation on electronic cigarettes and vape products. Call your legislators and tell them your story. Join the many activist groups that support vaping. And don’t forget to support your local vape shop!

Find the study here: http://ntr.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2016/08/23/ntr.ntw194