E-cigarettes (also called vapes) - considered by many to be a healthier alternative to smoking - actually pose a deadly risk and are particularly harmful to the brain, according to the results of a new study, the ChronicleLive website reported.

In the study, researchers have proven that smoking e-cigarettes is more harmful to health than medics had thought, and fear a "medical emergency" in the coming years.

The study, carried out at the University of Manchester, reveals that e-cigarettes, which have become a hugely popular alternative to nicotine and are generally considered healthier, can actually cause similar damage to the body as traditional smoking. Their effect on blood vessels appears to be the same, and smoking them is particularly damaging to the brain.

Study leader Dr. Maxim Boydin, a senior lecturer in cardiac rehabilitation, said that before he began the study, he too believed that "vaping is more beneficial than smoking."

He said he was shocked by his own findings, "What we found is that the dangers for a person who continues to smoke vape are no different from those for traditional smokers."

The study, conducted at the university's Institute of Sport, involved people aged 18 to 45. 

The average age was 27 years and participants had similar levels of fitness and physical activity. They were given regular tests to measure the elasticity of their blood vessels and the rate of blood flow to their brains.

For 12 hours before the tests, they consumed only water and did not vape, smoke or exercise. Further tests proved that blood flow in smokers and vapers was equally impaired, putting them at risk of developing cognitive dysfunction, including dementia.

Most electronic cigarettes, or vapes, contain nicotine, which is known to have adverse health effects. Thanks to their flavours, which mimic fruit and sweets, there has been a large increase in the number of young people using them.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nicotine can harm brain development, which lasts until about age 25. Nicotine-containing vapes also mean users can develop nicotine dependence, and e-cigarette use is also associated with worsening symptoms of depression.

Dr Boydin suggests that all vapes should only be available on prescription in the UK to avoid a "health emergency". 

"I think doctors should be able to prescribe vapes for a certain period of time so that they can be used as a means of transition, but only for a short time. We already know the long-term effects of vaping and if we don't act now, in the next 10, 15 years we will see a health emergency."| BGNES