E-cigarettes ‘less addictive than regular tobacco options’

A new study has suggested that e-cigarettes may offer a less addictive alternative to tobacco for people attempting to wean themselves off smoking.

Carried out by Pennsylvania State University, the research saw more than 3,500 current users of e-cigs who were former smokers completing online surveys on their levels of dependence.

It was revealed that higher nicotine concentration in the e-cig liquid predicted dependence, as well as the use of advanced second-generation e-cigs that delivered nicotine more efficiently. Consumers who had used e-cigs longer also appeared to be more addicted.

However, all of the participants nevertheless demonstrated a lower level of dependence on e-cigarettes than they had when using normal tobacco products.

Jonathan Foulds, professor of public health sciences and psychiatry at Penn State College of Medicine, said: "We don't have long-term health data of e-cig use yet, but any common sense analysis says that e-cigs are much less toxic. And our paper shows that they appear to be much less addictive, as well."

A study from Queen Mary University of London earlier this year suggested that the potential benefits of e-cigarettes outweigh the risk of harm. However, their overall safety and effectiveness as a smoking cessation aid remains unproven.