ABC NEWS: Is Australia out of step with other countries? About four per cent of Australian smokers currently use e-cigarettes. E-cigarettes and their potential health effects have been hotly contested for some time. Advocates say they are a less harmful alternative to tobacco cigarettes, and could help smokers quit, and, ultimately, save lives. But many Australian public health experts oppose the use of e-cigarettes, arguing there isn't enough evidence to show they're safe. Last month, Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt said he would never lift the ban on e-cigarettes, despite an on-going parliamentary inquiry into their use. But Mr Hunt's position is at odds with health authorities in comparable nations including England, Scotland and more recently, New Zealand, who have backed e-cigarettes in a bid to lower smoking rates and reduce harm.