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A new study dispels previous research that found deeply inhaling e-cigarettes releases twice the amount of formaldehyde as traditional cigarettes.

In the January report in the New England Journal of Medicine, researchers found an e-cigarette set to maximum power with long hauls generates high levels of the chemical.

But research published online Thursday in the journal Addiction found these levels could only be achieved under "extreme conditions."

Lead author and cardiologist Dr. Konstantinos Farsalinos found that to generate very high levels of formaldehyde vapourizer-users have to deliberately inhale to the point of it causing an unpleasant taste.

"These findings emphasize the importance of making clear the conditions in which tests of this kind are undertaken and avoiding sweeping assertions that can mislead the public," said Peter Hajek, director of the Tobacco Dependence Research Unit at Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry.

"Vapers are not exposed to dangerous levels of aldehydes. My reading of the evidence is that e-cigarettes are at least 95% safer than smoking. Smokers should be encouraged to switch to vaping."