New Zealand researchers are clashing with US health officials over a new anti-smoking aid, after a world-first trial was run by Auckland University.
The US Food and Drug Administration wants the electronic cigarette banned, but experts here say it does more good than harm.
It looks like the real thing, puffs out a mist that looks like smoke and most importantly, it provides the nicotine kick that smokers crave - but the e-cigarette has one big difference.
"They're not going to die from an e-cigarette," says Dr Murray Laugesen. "But they could die tomorrow from a heart attack due to their smoking."
The FDA, which regulates medical products in the US, isn't so sure. It says its tests found cancer-causing chemicals in e-cigarettes and wants them banned from sale until more studies are done.
"What's remarkable actually is the lack of evidence that these products are any better than standard smoking cessation treatments, and secondly the inadequate testing for their toxins," says Dr Michael Thun, American Cancer Society.
Auckland University has run the first ever trial of the e-cigarettes. It looked at withdrawal symptoms after using one compared to a nicotine inhaler and a regular cigarette.
Researchers can't reveal the results until they are published in a medical journal, but they told 3 News the FDA is getting unnecessarily alarmed over one ingredient - propalene glycol. It is a chemical used in antifreeze, and can be seen drifting across the stage at rock concerts - but there is no evidence it is harmful.
But that's not all.
"The carcinogens that we have found have been in very, very small quantity, just above the level of detection," says Dr Laugesen.
In contrast, every time you take a drag on a cigarette you breathe in 4000 toxins.
At this stage, New Zealanders have to go online and import e-cigarettes, but Dr Laugesen would like to see them more readily available here and says he would not hesitate to recommend e-cigarettes to anyone wanting to quit.
3 News