Quit smoking with e-cigarettes success poll

Do electronic cigarettes really help people quit smoking?

Over at e-cigarette-forum.com they've been running a poll since Feb of 2009 asking that very question and I found the results a bit facinating.

Out of 887 respondents so far the results tally up like this:

• 708 "I've completely quit analogs with e-cigs"
• 174 "I've cut down on analogs use with e-cigs"
• 5  "I only use e-cigs where I can't use analogs"

Now, that's not a formal study by any recognized authority on tobacco or smoking or some major university, but it does say a lot about what e-cig users have to say. In study terms that's what? Anecdotal evidence? How many "official" medical studies have 887 respondents?

Many of the respondents left comments and what they have to say really does make one think electronic cigarettes can help people quit smoking whether it's proved by scientists or not.

Since charging my first ecig, I have not smoked an analog. Had smoked for 30 years a pack to pack and a half a day.....

The one thing these have given me is hope. After having failed to quit more times than I can count, e-cigs have given me hope that it is possible without losing my mind......

I no longer cough or wheeze and can lay on my back and breath again. Oh, and I can go up and down stairs now without huffing and puffing......

I totally quit analog cigarettes the day i started vaping... Tried a drag off an analog to see if i noticed a difference and when i took that 1 drag it made me gag and cough really bad i'll never go back to analogs again.... I wish i knew about vaping sooner then i did......

Twenty-five years of smoking analogs. At least a pack a day for 20 years. I'm completely analog free a week after my first vape......

And most of the comments are along these lines. The ones who do still smoke cigarettes do so less often, but the amount of people who say "i've not had one since i started vaping" blows my mind. You don't hear that as often about the patch, the gum or the inhalers.

I really do think there needs to be more studies about using electronic cigarettes to quit. Yes, vapers may still be nicotine users, but at least they've stopped smoking and maybe have some hope to free themselves of nicotine.

Studies are one thing, user experience is another. When 40 people see a pink elephant in the road, I just don't need some scientists to come prove to me that he exists, I'll take their word for it.