An indepedent expert evidence review into the use of e-cigarettes has been published by Public Health England (PHE).

The report covers e-cigarette use among young people and adults, public attitudes, the impact on quitting smoking, an update on risks to health and the role of nicotine. It also reviews heated tobacco products.

Across the South West there are 245,602 e-cigarette users.

PHE is calling on smokers and a number of bodies to act on the evidence.

The key findings of PHE’s Evidence Review are that:

* Vaping poses only a small fraction of the risks of smoking and switching completely from smoking to vaping conveys substantial health benefits;

* E-cigarettes could be contributing to at least 20,000 successful new quits per year and possibly many more;

* E-cigarette use is associated with improved quit success rates over the last year and an accelerated drop in smoking rates across the country;

* Many thousands of smokers incorrectly believe that vaping is as harmful as smoking; around 40 per cent of smokers have not even tried an e-cigarette;

* 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 use of e-cigarettes in the UK has plateaued over the last few years at just under three million;

* The evidence does not support the concern that e-cigarettes are a route into smoking among young people. Youth smoking rates in the UK continue to decline. Regular use is rare and is almost entirely confined to those who have smoked.

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.”