Lay summary
Smoking is a leading cause of death and disability in New Zealand, with clear ethnic and social class differences. The majority of smokers regret having started, and are increasingly turning to electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) to help them cut down the number of regular cigarettes they smoke or to help them quit smoking altogether. It is thought that e-cigarettes help smokers manage some of the habitual behaviours associated with smoking (such as the hand to mouth actions) while they are trying to quit. A community-based clinical trial is planned to determine whether combining nicotine patches with e-cigarettes (with and without nicotine) can help more people quit smoking. The treatment has the potential to increase the number of smokers quitting, and thus greatly improve their health and prolong their life.