A LEADING seller of electronic cigarettes has rejected claims that vaping is just as harmful as smoking.

A study by heart experts earlier this week ruled that vaping, which involves smokers inhaling nicotine vapour instead of harmful tobacco smoke, damages key blood vessels in the heart in a similar way to normal cigarettes.

James Knowles is the director of operations for No-Match, a company which has been selling electronic cigarettes and e-liquids across 40 UK stores since 2011.

One of those stores is based in Barrow and Mr Knowles, who works one day a week in the Dalton Road premises, says more people are switching to vaping.

He said: "I've had at least three brand new customers a day over the past five weeks that I've been working here so I think a lot of people are getting on board with vaping around here."

The 42-year-old is backing guidance from Public Health England which concluded that e-cigarettes are 95 per cent less harmful than tobacco cigarettes.

In a report published last year, the health body said that vaping products could one day be dispensed as a licensed medicine as an alternative to anti-smoking products such as patches and there have been calls for GPs to distribute e-cigarettes as prescriptions to patients.

Mr Knowles, who used to smoke socially, now avoids cigarettes completely.

During his time at the company, he says he has seen a heavy smoker avoid having to have an operation on her lungs thanks to vaping improving her circulation, as well as a man ditching his motorised scooter after boosting his fitness by switching to e-cigarettes.

He said: "If vaping helps someone to cut down on smoking that in itself is a positive and if it gets someone to quit altogether that is an even bigger advantage.

"Also smoking is costly and based on someone who smokes 20 a day, the saving is around £3,000 a year and I think that will motivate some people. I would like to think people would put their health before money but it is a big factor.

"I would urge people to do their research and look on websites where good science is being done. Public Health England is the primary one but Cancer Research has also voiced its support for e-cigarettes helping people to quit smoking.

"There is a lot of misinformation out there and the public have been misled by reports based on poor science.

"I would love to see more collaboration with the NHS and I think it would be great if they were to look seriously at vaping as a way of encouraging smoking cessation."

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