Using vapes as well as cigarettes 'may be more harmful' than just smoking

People who both vape and smoke cigarettes are less likely to quit compared to people who only smoke or only vape, according to a study published today.

The research suggests that most of these ‘dual users’ tend to revert to only smoking cigarettes over time. The researchers say their findings suggest that taking up vaping while continuing to smoke will probably not help people to stop smoking.

The study, by researchers from Germany, the USA and Denmark, was authored by Josef Hamoud from the University Medical Center Göttingen, Germany. It is a systematic review and meta-analysis, meaning researchers reviewed all existing research on people using both vapes and cigarettes and combined the data into one study.

READ MORE: Two million ex-smokers in England still vape

Mr Hamoud said: “Vaping has become widespread among adolescents and adults worldwide. Given the extensive marketing of vapes as healthier alternatives to conventional smoking, they have gained popularity among people trying to quit smoking. Some people are using them in addition to their conventional cigarettes, classifying them as dual users.

“There is still a lot we don’t know about the long-term health effects of vaping. However, credible studies have already delivered concerning results indicating that dual use might be even more harmful than conventional smoking.”

The review brings together 16 individual studies looking at whether groups of dual users went on to quit smoking, switch to vaping only, switch to smoking only or continue dual use over time. The analyses incorporate data on up to 9,337 people including 2,432 dual users.

When researchers compared dual users with people who only smoked cigarettes or only vaped, they found that dual users were