Learning from the UK: How to Reduce Smoking Rates

Alternative tobacco products, particularly electronic cigarettes (vapes), have become the choice for adult smokers in England seeking to improve their chances of successfully switching from smoking. This is evidenced in a scientific journal published in JAMA Network titled ‘Prevalence of Popular Smoking Cessation Aids in England and Associations With Quit Success’ (2025). The research reveals new facts that vapes were the most commonly used switching aid among adult smokers in England during the 2023-2024 period, with a usage rate reaching approximately 40 percent. The study, led by Principal Research Fellow in the UCL Alcohol and Tobacco Research Group, Sarah E Jackson, stated that using more effective methods can increase a person’s success in switching from smoking. “Attempts to switch from smoking with the help of vapes have a higher chance of success compared to other methods,” she said, as quoted on Sunday (14/6/2026). Professor at the Faculty of Dentistry, Universitas Padjadjaran (Unpad), Prof. Dr. drg. Amaliya, M.Sc., Ph.D, assessed that the development of alternative tobacco product use as a switching aid in England is interesting from the perspective of scientific breakthroughs to reduce tobacco harm. According to her, this approach is positioned as a harm reduction strategy aimed at helping adult smokers who struggle to quit to switch to products with a lower risk profile. “The development of electronic cigarette use as a switching aid in England is one of the most prominent global case studies in using innovation to reduce tobacco harm. This approach is viewed as proactive harm reduction and is supported by scientific data regarding its effectiveness in helping adult smokers switch,” said Amaliya. She explained that several factors make alternative tobacco products considered more effective than nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) for some consumers. The devices are considered capable of mimicking the behavioural aspects of smoking, from hand-to-mouth movements to certain sensations not found in therapies like patches or nicotine gum. Additionally, electronic cigarettes allow users to regulate nicotine intake gradually, which is considered helpful in reducing the urge to return to smoking. The variety of devices is also said to increase user compliance during the switching process, especially for adult smokers with high levels of dependency. On the other hand, Amaliya emphasised that alternative tobacco products are not completely risk-free. However, the fundamental difference between vapes and cigarettes is the absence of a combustion process. Vapes use a heating system and produce vapour (aerosol), while cigarettes involve combustion, producing smoke containing TAR and carbon monoxide, two harmful compounds linked to various smoking-related diseases. In her research on oral health and gingivitis, Amaliya observed differences in oral cavity conditions between smokers and users of alternative tobacco products. She noted that smokers are more susceptible to gum problems, tooth discolouration, and plaque buildup due to exposure to combustion smoke and TAR. “Adult smokers who switch to alternative products show a tendency for better gum health compared to smokers. However, the public still needs to understand that alternative products are not risk-free and their use must be accompanied by proper education,” she said. With facts showing electronic cigarettes are proven to implement harm reduction, Amaliya added the importance of education so that these lower-risk products can be widely utilised in Indonesia as an aid for adult smokers wanting to switch from smoking. This education needs to emphasise that alternative products are intended for adult smokers, not non-smokers, adolescents, or pregnant women, to prevent misuse. Nonetheless, Amaliya stressed that the best health standard remains quitting all tobacco and nicotine product use entirely. “The research and policy approach regarding alternative tobacco products needs to be based on objective and transparent scientific evidence. Long-term clinical studies, the involvement of independent academics, and risk-profile-based regulation are needed so that the public receives complete and not misleading information about alternative tobacco products,” she concluded.