Table 1

Status quo and e-cigarette substitution, premature deaths and life years lost for all cohorts, men and women combined

OutcomeYear 20162026206020802100Cumulative (2016–2100)Deaths prevented/life years gained*% Change relative to status quo
Status Quo Scenario†
 Premature deaths4 61 5884 70 7433 16 5561 67 037290526 065 448
 Life years lost5 689 4585 625 2862 626 5036 85 5931852248 639 532
Optimistic Scenario‡
 Premature deaths4 61 5883 80 8322 33 24356 39945919 484 2896 581 15925.2%
 Life years lost5 689 4583 839 7651 345 3851 83 297294161 905 57986 733 95334.9%
Pessimistic Scenario§
 Premature deaths4 61 5884 56 2972 98 6891 27 706218824 432 0651 633 3836.3%
 Life years lost5 689 4585 261 3982 319 3885 28 9261396227 835 20320 804 3298.4%
  • *Life years gained=life years lost in Status Quo Scenario − Life years lost in E-cigarette Substitution Scenario.

  • †Status Quo 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.