Is vaping bad for you?

Vaping is not completely harmless and long-term effects are still unclear. Non-smokers and people aged 17 and under should never vape. Nicotine vapes are intended only as a tool to stop smoking.

Is vaping less harmful than smoking cigarettes?

Yes. Nicotine vaping is not risk-free but is substantially less harmful than smoking.

A 2022 review by leading UK tobacco experts concluded that “in the short and medium-term, vaping poses a small fraction of the risks of smoking.” Cigarettes release thousands of chemicals when burned; many are poisonous and up to 70 can cause cancer. Most harmful substances in cigarette smoke (including tar and carbon monoxide) are absent from vape aerosol.

People who switch completely from smoking to vaping have lower exposure to toxins linked to cancer, lung disease, heart disease, and stroke.

Is nicotine very harmful to my health?

No. Nicotine is highly addictive but does not contain the toxic chemicals that cause most smoking-related disease.

The primary harm from cigarettes comes from tar, tobacco combustion products, and other toxins—not nicotine itself. Nicotine does not cause cancer, lung disease, heart disease, or stroke. It has been used safely for years in nicotine replacement therapies and is included in vapes to help people quit.

Does vaping help people quit smoking?

Yes. Nicotine vapes are among the most effective stop-smoking aids and evidence shows they outperform traditional nicotine replacement therapies (patches or gum).

Many people find the hand-to-mouth action and “throat hit” helpful. Choose an e-liquid with sufficient nicotine to control cravings. Nearly two-thirds of people who use a vape together with support from a local stop-smoking service successfully quit.

Is switching to a vape just swapping one harmful addiction for another?

No. While both deliver nicotine, vaping is less harmful because it does not burn tobacco and produce the same toxins.

Once confident you will not return to smoking, you can gradually lower nicotine strength and frequency until you are nicotine-free.

Is it bad that I vape more often than I used to smoke?

No. It is normal to vape more frequently than you smoked, and this is not more harmful. A puff from a vape carries a small fraction of the risk of a puff from a cigarette. Nicotine reaches the brain more slowly with vaping, so more frequent use is typical to manage cravings.

Does vaping cause “popcorn lung”?

No. Vaping does not cause popcorn lung (bronchiolitis obliterans). The chemical diacetyl linked to the disease is banned in UK-regulated nicotine vapes and e-liquids (though present in cigarette smoke).

Is second-hand vaping harmful?

No evidence so far shows second-hand vaping is harmful to bystanders. Any risks appear very low compared with second-hand cigarette smoke. As a precaution, avoid vaping around babies and children and be considerate around others, especially those with asthma.