Britain’s National Health Service (NHS) may officially prescribe e-cigarettes for those wanting to give up smoking.

An expert independent review initiated by Public Health England (PHE) has concluded that e-cigarettes have potential to help smokers quit and is around 95% less harmful than tobacco.

The conclusion has baffled experts as earlier studies have confirmed that it harms the immune system in the lungs exactly the same way as traditional nicotine cigarettes.

Research has also confirmed that e-cigarette vapours contain free radical chemicals previously thought only to be found in tobacco cigarettes and air pollutants. Free radicals are highly reactive agents that can damage DNA or other molecules within cells, resulting in cell death. Cigarette smoke contains 1014 free radicals per puff.

The review, commissioned by PHE and led by Professor Ann McNeill (King’s College London) and Professor Peter Hajek (Queen Mary University of London), suggests that e-cigarettes may be contributing to falling smoking rates among adults and young people.

The American Heart Association recently classified e-cigs as same as regular cigarettes and has called for strong new regulations to prevent their access, sales and marketing to youth.