There has been considerable confusion about the risks of vaping verses smoking. However, the first long term study has found that vaping is far less of a health risk than smoking, and no different to the risk from taking other forms of nicotine replacement therapies such as nicotine patches. This was the central finding from a recent study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. This is an important study as it actually followed 181 actual smokers as opposed to being based on laboratory experiments. This research supports Public Health England's recent finding that vaping was 95 per cent less risky than smoking cigarettes. Wider negative research on vaping has been criticized, largely from US studies, that simply take a moral position on vaping as part of a moral "anti-smoking agenda" rather than looking at the actual health data. This moral position has caused confusion and uncertainty regarding vaping. This rcent research should clarfy the health findings and equip health professionals with a clearer information on the harm reduction benefits of vaping.

For a review of the recent findings click here.

For the Public Health England review, click here.