E-cigarettes should be backed by the government as a way to reduce the harm from smoking, according to a report published today by the Royal College of Physicians.
Long-term "vaping" from modern electronic cigarettes is unlikely to cause more than 5% of the harm caused by using tobacco, the report says.
Researchers say the evidence suggests most users of e-cigarettes are limited to current or previous smokers – and in most cases it is a deliberate choice to help cut down smoking.
Some 2.6 million people now use the devices and vaping stores have sprung up on street corners throughout the country.
The findings, reported by The BMJ today were widely welcomed.
Dr Mike Knapton, of the British Heart Foundation, said: “E-cigarettes are new devices commonly used by smokers that deliver nicotine without tobacco, and are an effective way of reducing the harm caused. We welcome this report which says that e-cigarettes can be an effective aid to potentially reduce harm from smoking and lower the risk of death and disability.
"Although more research is needed to establish the long term safety of e-cigarettes, they are likely to cause significantly less harm to your health than smoking tobacco.”
The British Medical Association said it wanted more regulation of the devices to ensure their "effectiveness, quality and safety."
Ram Moorthy, deputy chair of its board of science, said: "It is certainly interesting to see the RCP assessment of tobacco harm reduction, which recognises the potential for e-cigarettes to reduce harm associated with tobacco use.
“E-cigarettes are increasingly being used by current and ex-smokers to help cut down and quit smoking, so regulation should focus on making sure that these devices are safe and effective for those wanting to stop smoking, and ensuring their marketing does not appeal to children and young people."
Alison Cox, of Cancer Research UK, said: “This important report is an accurate summary of the latest scientific evidence on e-cigarettes and will help dispel the increasingly common misconception that they’re as harmful as smoking. They’re not.
"Tobacco kills more than 100,000 people in the UK every year, we should grasp every opportunity to encourage as many people as possible to stop smoking for good.”
Dr Tim Ballard, vice-chair of the Royal College of GPs, said: "Moving forward we would be looking for clear evidence that making e-cigarettes available on prescription as part of a wider smoking cessation scheme is a wise use of both scant NHS funds and GP practice resources, before the College could get behind it.
“It is not just the cost of the product that needs taking into account, but the time and resources that are involved in assessing patients, and monitoring their progress over a prolonged period of time."
Nicotine without smoke – putting electronic cigarettes in context BMJ 28 April 2016 [abstract]
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