The use of nicotine-based e-cigarettes has been cautiously recommended as a potential second-line aid for people who want to quit smoking.

In an updated guide on supporting smokers to stop, the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) also said prescribing options for nicotine replacement therapies should be widened.

The updated RACGP guide titled Supporting Smoking Cessation says vaping could be recommended as a second-line aid for those who want to quit smoking. Credit:AP

Chairman of the expert advisory group behind the guide Nicholas Zwar said the recommendation that e-cigarettes could help people quit smoking came with many caveats.

"The [therapies] that have been tested and been through therapeutic approval would be the first choice, but if you have someone who has not succeeded in quitting using those methods and they are interested in nicotine vaping, there is some evidence of benefit and they could be considered," he said.