Overview

• In a New South Wales trial involving 1,045 low-income smokers, eight weeks of flavored vaping plus five weeks of text-message counseling produced 28.4% six-month continuous abstinence versus 9.6% for gum or lozenges
• Overall adverse events were fewer in the vaping group (355 events in 237 participants) than in the nicotine replacement cohort (442 events in 278 participants), with no difference in serious adverse events
• Vaping outperformed nicotine gum and lozenges across subgroups defined by age, sex, levels of dependence and mental health status, highlighting equity gains
• At seven-month follow-up, 56.3% of participants in the vaping arm reported weekly product use compared with 30.9% in the replacement group, underscoring ongoing dependency questions
• Policymakers and clinicians are weighing guideline revisions and regulatory reviews to balance vaping’s quit benefits with concerns over safety, flavor availability, and long-term use risks