'Ready to Quit Smoking? “Quit, Don’t Switch” to E-Cigarettes
SALT LAKE CITY (December 26, 2019) – One of the most popular New Year’s resolutions is quitting smoking, and the American Lung Association encourages the more than 34 million U.S. smokers to quit smoking and not switch to e-cigarettes.
The fact is, e-cigarettes are tobacco products too. The Food and Drug Administration has not found any e-cigarette to be safe and effective in helping smokers quit. While the e-cigarette industry tells smokers falsely that switching to their products is safer and can help them quit, the American Lung Association is urging the FDA to reject these false quit smoking claims, and is also urging smokers to “Quit, Don’t Switch.” E-cigarettes still produce a number of dangerous chemicals including acetaldehyde, acrolein, and formaldehyde. As recently seen on the news, the inhalation of harmful chemicals can cause irreversible lung damage, lung diseases—and even death.
What Should I Do Instead of Switching to E-Cigarettes?
Talk to your healthcare provider about developing a quit smoking plan that includes medication plus counseling. Together, this combination results in the highest rates of success in quitting smoking for good.
• Medication - Using quit smoking medications that are proven safe and effective such as nicotine gum, patches, nasal spray, inhaler and lozenges and the non-nicotine medications buproprion (Zyban®) and varenicline (Chantix®) to help relieve physical symptoms. Learn more about these medications and whether your insurance plan may cover them.
• Counseling - For over 40 years, the American Lung Association’s Freedom From Smoking® program has been helping adult smokers quit using proven ways that are both safe and effective. Even if you have tried to quit in the past, you can access proven-effective quit smoking resources and support with the click of the button.
“Many people believe e-cigarettes will help them quit tobacco products, but they don't," said Tammy Rocker, Division Vice President of the American Lung Association in Utah. “E-cigarettes have not been found to be safe and effective in helping smokers quit.”
For media interested in speaking with an expert about e-cigarettes, lung health, tobacco use and tobacco policies, contact the Holly Harvey at Holly.Harvey@Lung.org or 206-512-3292.
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About the American Lung Association
The American Lung Association is the leading organization working to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease, through research, education and advocacy. The work of the American Lung Association is focused on four strategic imperatives: to defeat lung cancer; to improve the air we breathe; to reduce the burden of lung disease on individuals and their families; and to eliminate tobacco use and tobacco-related diseases. For more information about the American Lung Association, a holder of the coveted 4-star rating from Charity Navigator and a Gold-Level GuideStar Member, or to support the work it does, call 1-800-LUNGUSA (1-800-586-4872) or visit: Lung.org.
