New York, Dec 10 (IANS): E-cigarettes are less addictive than tobacco cigarettes, finds a research, adding weight to the argument that vaping could help quit smoking.

"We found that e-cigarettes appear to be less addictive than tobacco cigarettes in a large sample of long-term users," said Jonathan Foulds, professor of public health sciences and psychiatry at Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine.

The popularity of e-cigarettes (e-cigs), which typically deliver nicotine, propylene glycol, glycerin and flavourings through inhaled vapour, has increased in the past five years.

While the long-term effects on health and nicotine dependence are unknown, Foulds pointed out, "We might actually need e-cigarettes that are better at delivering nicotine because that is what is more likely to help people quit."

While carrying out the study, the researchers developed an online survey, including questions designed to assess previous dependence on cigarettes and almost identical questions to assess current dependence on e-cigs.

More than 3,500 current users of e-cigs who were former tobacco cigarette smokers participated in the survey.

The researchers found that people with all the characteristics of a more dependent e-cig user still had a lower e-cig dependence score than their tobacco cigarette dependence score.

"We think this is because they are getting less nicotine from the e-cigs than they were getting from tobacco cigarettes," Foulds explained.

"Any common sense analysis says that e-cigs are much less toxic. And our paper shows that they appear to be much less addictive, as well," he added.

The study appeared in the journal Nicotine & Tobacco Research.