Vapes offer a "proven and viable option for people wishing to quit traditional cigarettes", experts have said.It follows a comprehensive review into e-cigarettes compared with alternative cessation aids.While vaping is "unlikely to be completely risk-free", it is "less harmful than smoking", experts added as they urged stop smoking services to offer a broad range of products to assist smokers in their quit attempts.A new study found smokers were more likely to quit using vapes compared to conventional methods such as nicotine gum and patches.The Cochrane Review analysed 80 separate studies involving almost 30,000 peopleResearchers found that vape use “increased quit rates compared to nicotine replacement therapy”, such as gum or patches, with vaping leading to 61% increased odds in a quit attempt being successful after six months.While vapes are ‘unlikely to be completely risk-free’, they are ‘less harmful than smoking’, experts added (PA)This means that for every 100 people using nicotine e-cigarettes to stop smoking, eight to 10 might successfully stop, compared with six of 100 people using nicotine-replacement therapy.Vapes containing nicotine outperformed those without, helping more people to quit.Meanwhile, researchers looked at behavioural support – offered through advice and counselling – and found that those who were also given vapes containing nicotine were more likely to kick the habit.Dr Nicola Lindson, lead author of the review based at the University of Oxford, said: “Quitting smoking is hard and a lot of people who smoke will have tried many times to quit smoking and been unsuccessful.“For that reason, it is important that there are a number of different options available to help somebody quit, which could encourage them to keep trying.“Although nicotine vapes are unlikely to be completely risk-free, they are less harmful than smoking and that is the most important comparison to make for people who are still smoking tobacco.”Dr Jamie Hartmann-Boyce, senior author of the review from University of Massachusetts Amherst in the US, said: “We have very strong evidence that regulated nicotine e-cigarettes are substantially less harmful than smoking.“Based on the consistency of the findings here, it’s clear that they are a proven and viable option for people wishing to quit traditional cigarettes.”The study also looked at adverse events linked to e-cigarettes when they are used for quitting smoking.Vapes containing nicotine outperformed those without, helping more people to quit (Getty/iStock)Researchers found that studies comparing vapes containing nicotine to patches and gum reported low numbers of unwanted effects, including serious adverse effects.“It’s worth highlighting that our review looks at regulated e-cigarettes containing nicotine, but many of those available on the market do not meet these standards,” said Dr Hartmann-Boyce.“Unlicensed e-cigarettes are potentially dangerous, with issues including unstable batteries and harmful chemicals.”Dr Hartmann-Boyce added: “Anyone looking to use e-cigarettes to quit smoking should only purchase devices that have been tested and approved by their country’s regulatory body. Lists of regulated devices are available from the MHRA in the UK.”Alizee Froguel, prevention policy manager at Cancer Research UK, which funded the study, said: “This review adds to the growing evidence that legal vapes are an effective tool to help people stop smoking.“While we don’t know their long-term impact, evidence so far shows they are less harmful than tobacco.“Thanks to the world-leading Tobacco and Vapes Act becoming law, we are moving closer to a future free from the devastating harms of tobacco.“Governments across the UK must implement the Act in full in every nation, alongside ensuring everyone can access a range of stop smoking support, including vapes.”