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‘Vaping is far less harmful than smoking’ – world’s two largest cancer charities

Posted on January 13, 2019


The world's two largest cancer charities have made very clear statements about the health benefits for smokers who switch to vaping, based on the latest research.

Cancer Research UK

Cancer Research UK is the world's largest cancer charity and has commissioned over 50 research studies on vaping. It has produced a short animated video (below) which states:

  • Research so far shows that e-cigarettes are far less harmful than smoking
  • They do not contain tobacco, which causes the damage from smoking
  • They usually contain nicotine, which is addictive but doesn’t cause cancer
  • Passively breathing vapour from e-cigarettes is unlikely to be harmful
  • For some, e-cigarettes could be an option to help them stop smoking tobacco


For more evidence-based information on vaping from Cancer Research UK, click here.

The American Cancer Society

The American Cancer Society also states 'Based on currently available evidence, using current generation e-cigarettes is less harmful than smoking cigarettes, but the health effects of long-term use are not known'. Their advice to smokers is

'switching to the exclusive use of e-cigarettes is preferable to continuing to smoke combustible products'

Australian cancer charities out-of-date

Unfortunately, Australian cancer charities, Cancer Council Australia and all the state cancer branches, are out-of-date and are giving Australian smokers the wrong advice. They continue to insist that there is not enough evidence to be certain yet about the safety of vaping.

Their view appears to be that smokers who are unable to quit in spite of repeated attempts with conventional therapies should continue to smoke.

Hopefully Australian smokers will be too sensible to listen to this advice.

Posted by Colin Mendelsohn, colin@athra.org.au


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