Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42264521›Full record

ArticleBMJ open2026

Electronic nicotine delivery systems versus nicotine replacement therapies and risk of smoking relapse: evidence from a US nationwide prospective cohort (Cancer Prevention Study-3).

Johann L Westmaas, Mariah Landry, Tyler Nighbor, Zheng Xue, Ryan W Diver, Alpa Patel, Karli K Kondo, Samuel Asare, Adriana Lori, Priti Bandi and 1 more

Abstract readComparative Study
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ open, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Johann L WestmaasAmerican Cancer Society, Atlanta, Georgia, USA lee.westmaas@cancer.org.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6716-7695
Mariah LandryAmerican Cancer Society, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5332-8577
Tyler NighborAmerican Cancer Society, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8954-8763
Zheng XueAmerican Cancer Society, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1237-9356
Ryan W DiverAmerican Cancer Society, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5418-9000
Alpa PatelAmerican Cancer Society, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9997-1218
Karli K KondoAmerican Cancer Society, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4635-5056
Samuel AsareAmerican Cancer Society, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7888-0667
Adriana LoriAmerican Cancer Society, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8686-0148
Priti BandiAmerican Cancer Society, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1169-4231
Nigar NargisAmerican Cancer Society, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4501-1398

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveTo compare use of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) with nicotine replacement therapies (NRTs) on risk of cigarette smoking relapse by people who had already quit cigarettes.

designProspective cohort study.

settingThe American Cancer Society Cancer Prevention Study-3, a nationwide US cohort with follow-up every 3 years beginning in 2015.

participantsAdults who in 2015 had already quit smoking (n=3112) or were smoking (n=1018) and who in 2018 reported past or current exclusive use of ENDS or NRT and provided smoking status. OUTCOME MEASURES: Relapse to cigarette smoking in 2018 among people who were already quit in 2015, and abstinence from cigarettes in 2018 among people who were smoking in 2015.

resultsAmong respondents who had already quit in 2015, the unadjusted risk of relapse in 2018 was approximately three times greater for those who reported past exclusive ENDS versus past exclusive NRT use (11.2% vs 3.9%; relative risk (RR)=2.90, 95% CI 2.12 to 3.98). This association remained significant in a multivariable-adjusted model (RR=2.09, 95% CI 1.49 to 2.92). Among those smoking in 2015, the unadjusted likelihood of abstinence in 2018 was higher for those who reported current ENDS versus NRT use (RR=1.35, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.80), but the multivariable model adjusted for smoking frequency indicated no difference in abstinence (RR=1.38; 95% CI 0.93 to 2.05).

conclusionsENDS use was associated with greater relapse risk than NRT among people who had already quit. Although ENDS may support shorter-term cessation, further long-term observational research is needed to clarify relapse risks associated with ENDS relative to NRT.

Indexed as

Cigarette SmokingElectronic Nicotine Delivery SystemsNicotine Replacement TherapySmoking CessationAdultFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedProspective StudiesRecurrenceUnited StatesEPIDEMIOLOGYSmoking ReductionTobacco Use

Identifiers

PMID42264521
PMCPMC13264865

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.