Cigarettes were already expensive, or in fact, common people had never even seen them in the first place, but when they were sold on the market, they were even more expensive due to the price premium attached to them because Deng Xiaoping favored them
The mean duration for e-cigarette smoking after quitting cigarette smoking was 4.15 2.76 years, which was shorter than the duration of cigarette smoking
...It has been a life saver
Source: Vaping to quit smoking Better Health FDA Authorizes Modified Risk Tobacco Product IQOS Quitting smoking: Help for cravings
Studies abound that suggest that medical expenses for smokers who quit would ultimately be lowered, at first, but eventually, as ex-smokers regained their health and began to live longer, the cost of medical support would likely begin to increase