An independent review into the health effects of vaping has concluded it only poses a ‘small fraction’ of the risks of smoking.
The use of e-cigarettes in the UK has plateaued over the last few years at just under three million.
The new Public Health England (PHE) e-cigarette review, undertaken by leading independent tobacco experts, says switching completely from smoking to vaping has substantial health benefits.
It added e-cigarettes could be contributing to at least 20,000 quitting smoking per year.
In the south west it is estimated there are 245,602 e-cigarette users.
In Devon, latest figures from the Integrated Household Survey in 2014, stated 16.4 per cent of the adult population in the county smoke.
Figures released by Public Health England reveal 3,711 smokers in Devon died in 2017 from a smoking related illness.
The health body also stated that 8,122 smokers in Devon were admitted to hospital in 2015/16 with a smoking related illness.
The new PHE report states how thousands of smokers incorrectly believe that vaping is as harmful as smoking.
It said around 40 per cent of smokers have not even tried an e-cigarette, and there is much public misunderstanding about nicotine.
Less than 10 per cent of adults understand that most of the harms to health from smoking are not caused by nicotine.
The evidence in the report said it does not support the concern that e-cigarettes are a route into smoking among young people.
Youth smoking rates in the UK are continuing to decline. Regular use of e-cigarettes is rare and is almost entirely confined to those who have smoked.
PHE’s evidence review comes just a few weeks after a US National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine report on e-cigarettes.
Their conclusion on e-cigarette safety also finds that based on the available evidence “e-cigarettes are likely to be far less harmful than combustible tobacco cigarettes.”
Professor John Newton, director for health improvement at PHE said: “Every minute someone is admitted to hospital from smoking, with around 79,000 deaths a year in England alone.
“Our new review reinforces the finding that vaping is a fraction of the risk of smoking, at least 95 per cent less harmful, and of negligible risk to bystanders. Yet over half of smokers either falsely believe that vaping is as harmful as smoking or just don’t know.
“It would be tragic if thousands of smokers who could quit with the help of an e-cigarette are being put off due to false fears about their safety.”
The greatest quit success is among those who combine using an e-cigarette with support from a local stop smoking service.
Local stop smoking services and healthcare professionals – should provide behavioural support to those smokers wanting to quit with the help of an e-cigarette.
PHE believes there is compelling evidence that e-cigarettes be made available to NHS patients.
The Government’s new Tobacco Control Plan for England, includes a commitment to “maximise the availability of safer alternatives to smoking”. It makes clear that e-cigarettes have an important part to play in achieving the ambition for a smokefree generation.