May 12 - Research shows that there is a big trust gap between smokers and e-cigarettes - more than half now think they are as bad or worse than cigarettes, according to reports.

A poll of 2,000 smokers in the UK showed growing distrust of switching to e-cigarettes. Nearly 38 percent of those who lacked trust said it could deter them from trying to quit smoking via e-cigarettes in the future.

The government's independent Kahn Review said e-cigarettes had a central role to play in the nation's smoke-free future, with more than 6.5 million smokers still in the UK. Evidence from the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID) last year confirmed once again that vaping is at least 95% less harmful than smoking.

But according to the One Poll study on trust in e-cigarettes among adult smokers, commissioned by inhalation technology pioneer SMOORE, 29 percent only trusted e-cigarettes as a way to quit, while 13 percent didn't trust them at all.

Among those whose trust is declining, 35 percent said there was a lack of independent long-term clinical studies showing that vaping was less harmful than smoking. And 31 percent were concerned about the lack of any available information about the harm profiles of different vaping products. Other factors contributing to the lack of trust include negative reports and studies that smokers have encountered, inconsistent attitudes toward e-cigarettes from governments around the world, a growing black market for e-cigarettes, and the World Health Organization's views on e-cigarettes.

"They need to make an informed decision to switch," said Dr. Chenxing Pei, senior aerosol engineer at SMOORE's Center for Analysis, Test and Safety Evaluation.

"It is vital that smokers feel confident enough to switch to e-cigarettes, especially as Health Minister Neil O'Brien has said the government must harness the huge potential of e-cigarettes to help adult smokers quit."

"But cutting down or quitting is very difficult and they have to be convinced that what they are trying is not a waste of time."

"If e-cigarettes are to be seen as a reliable way to quit smoking, urgent efforts need to be made to ensure that smokers are confident that these products will have the desired effect."

The study also revealed how to regain the trust of these smokers, 30 percent of whom claimed that public health campaigns promoting evidence-based facts could turn the tide. Better education of doctors and more advice on how e-cigarettes can be an effective way to reduce the harm of smoking was cited as another key way to build trust.

While 21 percent would welcome an end to advertising rules for e-cigarette companies -- as long as they promote evidence from reliable sources.

But 68 percent of smokers are still confused when it comes to knowing which products are good for helping them quit. When it comes to vaping products, 70% of people don't know who to trust right now.

Three quarters of smokers want information about the harm profiles of e-cigarette products at the time of purchase.

Eighty-seven percent of them said it was important to know exactly what they were inhaling. Many are seeking clarification on the chemical content of e-cigarettes (60 percent), carbon residues (46 percent) and heavy metal content (44 percent).

Of those who smoked and vaped, however, 74 percent initially started reducing their dependence on cigarettes, with 58 percent of those claiming they had success.

The study coincides with the establishment of an independent think tank by SMOORE, made up of scientific, smoking cessation and compliance experts from the UK and the US, to lay the groundwork for an industry-wide harm reduction rating system that could be communicated to consumers on product packaging or via QR codes.

Dr. Ian Fearon, one of the experts on the panel who previously held senior scientific and clinical positions at JUUL Labs and BAT, said: Relative safety of vape products compared to cigarettes smoked by the general public.

"The development of harm reduction labels may help smokers understand the potential risk reduction of e-cigarettes and encourage switching, in addition to reassuring e-cigarette users about the quality of the products they use and allowing them to differentiate between products."

Government statistics last year showed that the proportion of smokers in the UK was at its lowest level since records began, a decline largely attributed to the major role played by e-cigarettes, Dr Pei added.

"However, the results of this study highlight the large trust gap that exists among adult smokers and it is vital for the e-cigarette industry, government, regulators and healthcare professionals to come together to bridge this gap and support smokers to quit."

"It is clear that open and transparent communication is essential to this process and to support the government's ambition to make the country smoke-free."