Know Your Vape

Dangers of Vaping: Unhealthy Effects for US Vapers

By Know Your Vape · · Updated

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Vaping started as an alternative to smoking and quickly became popular. The real question is whether it is safer than smoking, or just a different set of risks.

The short answer: for adults who smoke, switching completely is likely less harmful than smoking. For anyone who doesn't smoke, especially young people, vaping adds risk with no health benefit.

Brief Overview of Vaping

Vaping is the act of inhaling and exhaling the aerosol, often called vapor, produced by an electronic cigarette or similar device. E-cigarettes don't burn tobacco leaves; instead, they heat a liquid (e-liquid or vape juice) that usually contains nicotine, flavorings and other chemicals.

E-cigarettes were promoted as a way to get nicotine without smoke, and the negative effects of vaping are still being studied. Flavors, sleek designs and the idea that vaping is harmless have drawn many young people in.

Research has linked vaping to several health concerns, from lung irritation to nicotine addiction. This article explains the potential dangers of vaping, what is still unknown, and what the evidence says about quitting.

Understanding Vaping

What is Vaping?

Vaping means inhaling an aerosol made by an electronic device, such as an e-cigarette or vape pen. The aerosol is produced from an e-liquid, a concentrate or dry herb.

E-cigarettes are battery-powered devices that heat a liquid into an aerosol. The liquid usually contains nicotine, flavorings and other additives. According to the FDA, that nicotine is usually derived from tobacco.

Vaping is often described as a safer alternative to cigarettes. "Safer" does not mean "safe," as the risks below show.

Common Misconceptions about Vaping

One common belief is that vaping is completely harmless. Scientists are still learning about its short- and long-term effects, but it is not risk-free.

Another myth is that e-cigarettes only give off water vapor. The CDC says the aerosol can contain nicotine, cancer-causing chemicals, heavy metals such as nickel, tin and lead, and tiny particles that reach deep into the lungs.

A third issue is quitting. No e-cigarette is an FDA-approved quit aid. Still, a Cochrane review found high-certainty evidence that nicotine e-cigarettes help more people quit smoking than nicotine replacement therapy (about 8 to 10 per 100 people, compared with 6).

Clearing up these myths helps you understand the risks of e-cigarettes and the dangers of vaping. It also puts the negative effects of vaping in context.

The Dangers of Vaping

Short-Term Health Risks

Short-term risks are easy to overlook. Most e-cigarettes contain nicotine, which is addictive. The FDA warns that nicotine exposure during adolescence can disrupt normal brain development.

Some people who vape report coughing, throat irritation, dry mouth or shortness of breath. For more, see our articles on vaping and coughing and vaping and high blood pressure.

Long-Term Health Risks

E-cigarettes have been widely used for a little over a decade, so long-term studies are still underway. The CDC says scientists are still learning about the long-term effects.

Researchers are studying possible links to lung and heart problems and to oral health issues such as gum disease. Read more about the long-term effects of vaping.

Cancer is another open question. The CDC says e-cigarette aerosol generally contains fewer harmful chemicals than cigarette smoke, but it can still contain cancer-causing chemicals. Whether long-term vaping raises cancer risk is not yet known. For more, see vaping and cancer risk.

Vaping and Addiction

Nicotine is highly addictive, and that is one of the clearest risks of vaping.

People who have never smoked can become addicted to nicotine by vaping. People who switch from smoking keep their nicotine dependence, which can make quitting nicotine completely harder.

Some e-liquids, especially nicotine salt pods, contain high nicotine levels. Our guide on vaping and addiction covers this in more detail.

While vaping is often marketed as a safer alternative to smoking, it carries its own risks. Knowing them helps adults make informed choices.

The Impact of Vaping on Public Health

Vaping raises public health concerns about lung health, heart health, mental health and youth use.

Vaping and Lung Disease

Some flavorings in e-liquids raise lung concerns. The CDC lists diacetyl, a chemical linked to a serious lung disease, among the flavorings found in some e-cigarettes. That disease is bronchiolitis obliterans, often called popcorn lung. Researchers are also studying links between vaping and pneumonia and asthma.

The clearest case of serious lung harm was the 2019-2020 EVALI outbreak. By February 2020, the CDC had recorded 2,807 hospitalized cases or deaths. Vitamin E acetate in THC vaping products, mostly from informal sources, was strongly linked to the outbreak.

Researchers are still studying whether long-term vaping causes lasting risk of lung damage, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Vaping and Heart Disease

Some studies have linked e-cigarette use to heart problems, but the long-term cardiovascular effects are not yet clear. See our article on vaping and heart disease for more.

Vaping and Mental Health

Some people vape to cope with stress or anxiety. But nicotine dependence can make anxiety and mood problems worse, and withdrawal between doses can feel like stress.

The CDC notes that people who quit smoking have lower levels of anxiety, depression and stress. For more, see our guide on vaping and depression.

Youth vaping remains a major concern for researchers and regulators.

The Regulatory Environment

Current US Regulations on Vaping

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates the manufacture, import, packaging, labeling, advertising, promotion, sale and distribution of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), including e-cigarettes, vape pens and e-hookahs.

FDA's authority over e-cigarettes began with the 2016 Deeming Rule. New products now need FDA marketing authorization, usually through a premarket tobacco product application (PMTA).

To be authorized, a product must be shown to be "appropriate for the protection of the public health." FDA has authorized only a limited number of tobacco- and menthol-flavored e-cigarettes, and it stresses that authorization does not mean a product is safe or "FDA approved."

Since December 2019, federal law (Tobacco 21) has made it illegal to sell any tobacco product, including e-cigarettes, to anyone under 21.

How Regulations Impact Vaping Dangers

Regulations can reduce the negative effects of vaping by setting product standards and limiting marketing aimed at young people.

Product review can keep harmful ingredients off the market and address some vaping health concerns. Sales rules, such as age limits and restrictions on where products are sold, help keep vapes away from minors.

Required labels, such as the nicotine addiction warning on e-cigarette packages, tell users about the risks and the long-term effects of vaping.

Regulation also supports ongoing research, which will give a clearer picture of vaping's risks over time.

Conclusion

Reiterating the Dangers of Vaping

Vaping is not harmless. The long-term effects of vaping are still being studied, and its short-term effects are real.

Known risks range from throat irritation and nicotine addiction to serious lung injury from illicit THC products. Youth vaping and nicotine addiction remain significant public health concerns.

Encouraging Healthier Alternatives

If you don't smoke, don't start vaping. The CDC says e-cigarettes should not be used by youth, young adults or pregnant women.

If you smoke and want to quit, FDA-approved options include nicotine patches, gum and lozenges, a prescription nicotine inhaler and spray, and the prescription pills varenicline and bupropion. The Cochrane review found nicotine e-cigarettes can also help, and FDA says the benefit for adults who smoke comes from switching completely, not using both.

A doctor or quit-smoking counselor can help you choose the right approach and plan to quit nicotine over time.

Vaping is less harmful than smoking for adults who switch completely, but its negative effects mean it is no healthy habit. Knowing the risks helps you make the right choice for your health.

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