Researchers at Manchester Metropolitan University have been conducting a world first study into the long-term effects of vaping since 2023 and it is due to conclude at the end of March.

While there are still a few more weeks left, the author of the study – which has taken place at the university’s Institute of Sport – has said he believes vaping is worse than smoking on people’s health.

The NHS has previously described inhaling nicotine vapour from e-cigs as ‘substantially less harmful than smoking’.

At the start of the study, Dr Maxime Boidin did believe that ‘vaping was more beneficial than smoking’.

However, the leader told the Mirror after giving the newspaper an early look: “Smokers tend to go outside and smoke, and once a cigarette is finished they have to light up another to keep going. But with vapes, you just keep going and it’s much harder to know how many puffs you’ve had.

“It’s much easier to vape continuously because you can do it in places where smoking might be less acceptable.”

In response to what he has found in the study, he claimed: “What we have found is the dangers for someone who keeps vaping are no different from smokers.”

Participants aged between 18 to 45 (with an average of 27) with similar fitness levels were given regular stress tests.

Consuming only water and not vaping, smoking or exercising for 12 hours before, these tests would measure the elasticity of their blood vessels, which is a good indication of a person’s vascular health, according to the university, and speed of blood flow to their brains.

It is said that smokers and vapers had a ‘flat reading’ which signalled damaged artery walls that can no longer violate, meaning they are at risk of severe cardiovascular problems in the future.

Dr Boidin believes the damage is caused by inflammation from nicotine as well as other metals and chemicals found in vapes such as propylene glycol, vegetable glycerine.

He said: “When you put this mixture of metals and chemicals into your body you can’t expect nothing to happen.”

The results will be officially released in March at the conclusion of the study.

The NHS’ current stance is: “Nicotine vaping is not risk-free, but it is less harmful than smoking.”

It refers to 2022 findings when UK experts found that in ‘the short and medium-term, vaping poses a small fraction of the risks of smoking’.