Anti-vaping activist groups are using the coronavirus crisis to advance their goal of restricting — or even completely banning — the use of e-cigarettes, arguing that vapers are at higher risk of harm from COVID-19.

However, the available evidence indicates the opposite: If they had worked to convince more smokers to switch to e-cigarettes, there might be fewer coronavirus-related deaths today.

That’s the view of Dr. Michael Siegel, professor of community health sciences at the Boston University School of Public Health.