A new study, published in the journal Addiction, has shown that electronic cigarettes may be able to help people quit smoking, reports Reuters. This is an important victory for manufacturers of electronic cigarettes, who have been touting the therapeutic benefits of their products because of their ability to assist in smoking cessation.

According to WebMD, electronic cigarettes are purported to be safer because they do not contain the tar of traditional cigarettes.  However, health professionals are still concerned.  Electronic cigarettes may still contain carcinogens and it is not clear how nicotine without tar impacts health. The new study shows that 20 percent of people who tried to quit with the help of electronic cigarettes were successful.

The CDC reports that electronic cigarettes, otherwise known as e-cigarettes, are battery-powered replacements for traditional cigarettes.  They provide doses of nicotine and other additives in an aerosol form, without smoke. In general, e-cigarette cartridges typically contain nicotine, ingredients necessary to produce aerosol, and flavorings such as fruit or chocolate.  Until recently, the electronic cigarette could be marketed for therapeutic purposes because it was unregulated by the FDA.

Another study, published in the Lancet in 2013, also evaluated the efficacy of electronic cigarettes for smoking cessation.  Electronic cigarettes are used to mitigate tobacco withdrawal and can be offered with or without nicotine.  Results showed that electronic cigarettes with and without nicotine had statistically similar success as nicotine patches in helping the individual quit smoking.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that 43.8 million people in the U.S., or 19 percent of adults, smoke cigarettes.  The CDC also reports that nicotine dependence is the most common form of chemical dependence in the U.S.  Smoking cigarettes is the leading cause of preventable deaths in the U.S., accounting for 20 percent of all deaths.