The Evidence Is Piling Up that Vaping Is Very Dangerous

20th August 2025

If you jump off a cliff you probably die in seconds. If you VAPE you may die slowly 20 or more years later but have increasingly deteriorating health.

Vaping is Not harmless—especially for youth, young adults, and during pregnancy. Nicotine can harm the developing brain (attention, learning, mood, impulse control) and is highly addictive. Health agencies advise that non-smokers should not vape, and pregnant people should avoid all nicotine products.

Recent reviews link e-cigarette use with respiratory symptoms and other acute adverse events; meta-analyses report associations with arrhythmias and myocardial infarction (heart attack), though long-term causal risks remain less certain due to limited prospective data.

There is growing evidence connecting vaping with increased tooth decay, gum inflammation, and other dental issues compared with non-users.

Exhaled aerosol can contain nicotine, formaldehyde, and metals and the main agencies recommend including e-cigarettes in smoke-free policies to protect others. Secondary inhaling from other people's vapes may affect you.

Young people risk progression to smoking. A large 2025 umbrella review (56 reviews, 384 studies) found consistent associations between youth vaping and later cigarette smoking (3× higher odds) and respiratory problems (e.g., asthma). Observational designs mean we can't prove causation, but signals are strong enough to warrant precaution.

EVALI (2019 outbreak) was largely tied to illicit THC vapes with vitamin E acetate—not standard nicotine vapes—but it's a reminder to avoid informal/illicit products, especially THC cartridges.
EVALI is a lung injury caused by vaping, specifically the use of e-cigarettes and vaping products. It was previously known as Vaping-Associated Pulmonary Injury (VAPI). The condition is characterized by a range of symptoms, including respiratory issues like shortness of breath, cough, and chest pain, and sometimes gastrointestinal problems.

For adults who smoke cigarettes vaping can be a harm-reduction tool if it completely replaces smoking. The 2025 Cochrane living review finds high-certainty evidence that nicotine e-cigarettes help more people quit than nicotine-replacement therapy, though no device is "risk-free." Dual use smoking and vaping blunts the benefits.

The bottom line is if you don't smoke: don't start vaping.
If you're pregnant: avoid all e-cigarettes and nicotine.
If you smoke and can't quit with first-line treatments, switching completely to a regulated vape may reduce harm versus continued smoking—ideally with stop-smoking support and a plan to taper nicotine.

There is growing direct evidence of harm from vaping, though the extent and long-term impact are still being studied.

Here's what researchers and health authorities have found so far -

Respiratory System

Vaping is linked with increased respiratory symptoms (cough, wheeze, shortness of breath).

Some studies associate vaping with asthma exacerbations and chronic bronchitis-like symptoms in adolescents and young adults.

Case reports have shown acute lung injury (EVALI), mostly tied to illicit THC vapes with vitamin E acetate, but highlighting vulnerability of lungs to inhaled oils/chemicals.

Cardiovascular System

Meta-analyses and reviews report associations between e-cigarette use and increased risk of arrhythmias, hypertension, and myocardial infarction (heart attack).

Nicotine causes increased heart rate and blood pressure, raising cardiovascular strain.

Long-term causal links are harder to confirm (since vaping is newer), but evidence is accumulating.

Oral & Dental Health

Studies show higher rates of tooth decay, gum inflammation, and dry mouth among e-cigarette users compared to non-users.

Aerosols alter the oral microbiome in ways similar to traditional smoking.

Second-hand Exposure

Exhaled vapor contains nicotine, ultrafine particles, metals, and formaldehyde—not just "harmless water vapor."

Passive exposure may harm non-users, especially children and people with asthma.

Addiction & Brain Development

Nicotine in vapes is highly addictive.

In adolescents and young adults, it can impair brain development (attention, learning, mood regulation).

Youth who vape are more likely (≈3× odds) to start smoking cigarettes later.

There is clear evidence of harm: especially for lung health, oral health, cardiovascular stress, brain development (in youth), and second-hand exposure.

What's still uncertain is the long-term burden of chronic diseases like COPD, cancer, or heart disease—because vaping is only about 15 years old. It took many decades for the evidence to prove that smoking tobacco was incredibly damaging to health. By the time it is conclusively proved that vaping is very very harmful many people will have had their health damaged and life ruined affecting their families from illness and early death.

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Vaping is gateway to smoking and linked to asthma largest study into youth vape use finds