British American Tobacco : BAT encouraged by findings of BMJ e-cigarette study

A study* published by the British Medical Journal (BMJ) concludes that 'changes in prevalence of e-cigarette use in England have been positively associated with the success rates of [smoking] quit attempts'. It also found that there was no clear association between e-cigarette use and the rate of quit attempts.

Commenting on the study from the BMJ, David O'Reilly, Group Scientific and R&D Director, British American Tobacco, said:

'The finding in the BMJ report that large numbers of people are successfully using e-cigarettes to quit smoking is encouraging to us as a company trying to build and inflate the category.

'The study illustrates a clear surge in e-cigarette usage, both generally and in effective attempts to quit smoking, which shows a positive trend in the adoption of e-cigarettes as safer alternatives to cigarettes.'

'We have been researching and developing tobacco alternatives for decades to provide better and safer choices for consumers, and in the last decade in particular, e-cigarettes. Another element that could be explored beyond this study is how innovation in the e-cigarette category may have added to this adoption. The product quality, partly enabled by the evolution of technology and innovation, has ensured that adult smokers now have access to products that provide a more satisfying experience in their transition from conventional cigarettes.

'It is only with assurances around product quality and safety that this important emerging product category can continue to grow. We invest heavily in our product stewardship so consumers of our vapour brand, Vype, not only get a satisfying reduced harm alternative but also receive the assurances around product quality that they are telling us they want.'