E-cigarettes 'less harmful' than cigarettes

• Scientists argue that replacing conventional cigarettes with electronic ones could reduce smoking-related deaths
• Instead of inhaling tobacco smoke, e-cigarette users breathe in vapourised liquid nicotine

E-cigarettes are likely to be much less harmful than conventional cigarettes, an analysis of current scientific research done in UK suggests.

Scientists argue replacing conventional cigarettes with electronic ones could reduce smoking-related deaths even though long-term effects are unknown. In the journal Addiction, researchers suggest e-cigarettes should face less stringent regulations than tobacco. But experts warn encouraging their use without robust evidence is "reckless".

Instead of inhaling tobacco smoke, e-cigarette users breathe in vaporised liquid nicotine. About two million people use electronic cigarettes in the UK, and their popularity is growing worldwide.

'Fewer toxins'
The World Health Organization and national authorities are considering policies to restrict their sales, advertising and use. Scientists say risks to users and passive bystanders are far less than those posed by cigarette smoke, but caution that the effects on people with respiratory conditions are not fully understood.

And they say electronic cigarettes contain a few of the toxins seen in tobacco smoke, but at much lower levels. They report there is no current evidence that children move from experimenting with e-cigarettes to regular use, and conclude the products do not encourage young people to go on to conventional smoking habits.

And their analysis suggests switching to e-cigarettes can help tobacco smokers quit or reduce cigarette consumption.

Prof Peter Hajek, of Queen Mary University in London, an author on the paper, said that this is not the final list of risks, others may emerge. "But regulators need to be mindful of crippling the e-cigarette market and by doing so failing to give smokers access to these safer products that could save their lives.