VAPING has been given the thumbs-up by health experts after the first  long-term study of its effects in ex-smokers.

Scientists have found that after six months people who switched from real to e-cigarettes had far fewer toxins and cancer-causing substances in their bodies than continual smokers.

Nicotine patches also appeared to be far safer than tobacco products  according to the analysis of saliva and urine samples.

Lead author Dr Lion Shahab, from University College London, said: "Our study adds to existing evidence showing that e-cigarettes and NRT are far safer than smoking, and suggests that there is a very low risk associated with their long-term use.

"We've shown that the levels of toxic chemicals in the body from e-cigarettes are considerably lower than suggested in previous studies using simulated experiments. This means some doubts about the safety of e-cigarettes may be wrong.

"Our results also suggest that while e-cigarettes are not only safer, the amount of nicotine they provide is not noticeably different to conventional cigarettes.

"This can help people to stop smoking altogether by dealing with their cravings in a safer way."

Jamie Hartmann-Boyce, senior health behaviours researcher at Oxford University, senior researcher in health behaviours at the University of Oxford and managing editor of the Cochrane Tobacco Addiction Group, said: "We still need more studies on the long term safety of electronic cigarettes, but this study adds to the growing body of evidence suggesting electronic cigarettes are considerably safer than smoking regular cigarettes, as is using NRT long term.

"Cigarettes are uniquely deadly and smokers who switch to electronic cigarettes or long-term use of NRT should remember that the harm from cigarettes comes from the tar, and not the nicotine."