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In a discussion chaired by Ann McNeill, professor of tobacco addiction at King's College London, a panel of experts €“ including Professors West and Polosa €“ was asked to estimate the reduction in harm of using e-cigarettes compared to smoking. A consensus emerged that e-cigarettes carry about a twentieth of the risk €“ a 95 per cent reduction.

However many smokers and the public do not understand the risks and benefits €“ or even the difference between vaping and smoking. Martin Dockrell, tobacco lead at Public Health England, emphasised the importance of minimising confusion between vaping and smoking, suggesting that confusing the two could help re-normalise smoking.

In a joint presentation, Ian Gray, chief policy officer at the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health, and Hazel Cheeseman, ASH's director of policy, commented that many people €“ including local authorities developing policies €“ are €looking for absolute assurances€ about safety.

In a survey only about 16 per cent of people were aware that e-cigarettes were a lot less harmful than regular cigarettes. Another 35 per cent said they were less harmful but 30 per cent did not know and about 14 per cent said they were just as harmful.

Only about 9 per cent knew that nicotine accounts for none or only a small proportion of cigarettes' health risks.