Table 3

Status quo and e-cigarette substitution, premature deaths and life years lost, men and women, cohort born in 1981 (age 35 years in 2016)

OutcomesYear201620262056Cumulative (2016–2080)Deaths prevented/life years gained*% Change relative to status quo
Age, years354575
Male
Status Quo Scenario†
PrevalenceNever smoker56.1%55.9%58.4%
Cigarette smoker28.4%21.4%5.5%
Former smoker15.5%22.7%36.1%
Premature deaths011105927278 703
Life years lost042 53870 5493217 819
Optimistic Scenario‡
PrevalenceNever smoker56.1%55.8%56.8%
Cigarette smoker28.4%5.0%1.2%
Former smoker>age 40 years 15.5%17.6%25.4%
E-cigarettes exclusive0.0%8.4%3.0%
Former smoker<age 40 years0.0%3.8%3.9%
E-cigarette/former smoker0.0%8.1%2.5%
Former e-cigarette user0.0%1.3%7.3%
Premature deaths03003412158 760119 94343.0%
Life years lost011 49740 6131559 5461658 27351.5%
Pessimistic Scenario§
Premature deaths07775123236 85041 85315.0%
Life years lost029 78360 9822621 426956 39318.5%
Female
Status Quo Scenario†
PrevalenceNever smoker67.1%66.8%67.6%
Cigarette smoker21.0%16.3%3.7%
Former smoker11.9%16.9%28.7%
Premature deaths0137192498 714
Life years lost0567326 5251078 282
Optimistic Scenario‡
PrevalenceNever smoker67.1%66.8%67.0%
Cigarette smoker21.0%5.0%1.1%
Former smoker >age 40 years11.9%13.4%20.9%
E-cigarettes exclusive0.0%5.8%1.6%
Former smoker <age 40 years0.0%2.6%2.6%
E-cigarette/former smoker0.0%5.5%1.4%
Former e-cigarette user0.0%0.9%5.3%
Premature deaths047102058 18640 52841.1%
Life years lost0193614 066518 499559 78251.9%
Pessimistic Scenario§
Premature deaths0108177789 93387818.9%
Life years lost0445124 492950 737127 54411.8%
  • *Life years gained=life years lost in Status Quo Scenario − life years lost in E-cigarette Substitution Scenario.

  • †Smoking rates evolve from initial 2016 levels based on age, gender and cohort-specific smoking initiation and cessation rates in the absence of e-cigarette use.

  • ‡Optimistic Scenario: e-cigarettes excess risk 5% of smoking, 5% of the population continues to initiate cigarette smoking or remain as smokers, the remainder of never smokers then initiate e-cigarette use at the rate of cigarette smoking initiation in the Status Quo Scenario, and both smokers and e-cigarette users quit at the rate of smokers in the Status Quo Scenario.

  • §Pessimistic Scenario: e-cigarettes excess risk 40% of smoking, 10% of the population continues to initiate cigarette smoking or remain as smokers, the remainder of never smokers then initiate e-cigarette use at the 150% rate of cigarette smoking initiation in the Status Quo Scenario, and e-cigarette users quit at 50% of the rate of smokers in the Status Quo Scenario and smokers quit at the Status Quo cessation rate.