E-cigarettes an evidence update A report commissioned by Public Health England

% endorsing responseE-cigarettes: an evidence updateFigure 19: Perceptions of relative harmfulness of e-cigarettes to people around the user.ASH Smokefree GB youth surveys90807078.672.760504030201320142010011.912.5 14.57.81.1 0.9Less harmful Equally harmful More harmful Don’t knowHarm perception relative to nicotine replacement therapy (NRT)The ASH Smokers’ survey in 2014 asked respondents about their perception of ECcompared with NRT (Table 20). The largest group of respondents thought EC wereabout as safe. Notably, a higher proportion thought that EC were safer than NRT thanbelieved that NRT was safer than EC. This was particularly pronounced in current ECusers.Table 5: Relative harm perception by e-cigarette use status ASH Smokers’ survey 2014E-cigarette use statusNever Current Ex Total39.10% 21.30% 39.70%(n=470) (n=256) (n=477) (n=1203)Compared to NRTSafer 14 (66) 28.1 (72) 22 (105) 20.2 (243)About as safe 28.1 (132) 44.1 (113) 35.6 (170) 34.5 (415)Less safe 16.2 (76) 6.3 (16) 13 (62) 12.8 (154)Don't know 41.7 (196) 21.5 (55) 29.4 (140) 32.5 (391)One US survey of 1,400 current and former smokers also assessed expected outcomesof using EC compared with NRT [68]. EC were perceived to be less risky, cost less,cause fewer negative physical feelings, taste better, provide more satisfaction, and bebetter at reducing craving, negative affect, and stress.61