Are e-cigarettes less harmful than regular cigarettes? Yes—but that doesn’t mean e-cigarettes are safe. E-cigarette aerosol generally contains fewer toxic chemicals than the deadly mix of 7,000 chemicals in smoke from regular cigarettes. However, e-cigarette aerosol is not harmless.

Vaping to quit smoking

Vaping nicotine is much less harmful than smoking. It’s also one of the most effective ways to quit smoking.

Vaping is not completely harmless and we only recommend it for adult smokers to help them quit and stay quit.

Here you will find the facts about vaping, based on scientific evidence and research, and advice on how to use vapes (sometimes called e-cigarettes or e-cigs) as a quitting tool.

How vaping can help you quit

Vapes are electronic devices that allow you to inhale nicotine in an aerosol, or vapor, rather than smoke. This is done by heating a solution (e-liquid) that typically contains propylene glycol, vegetable glycerin, flavorings, and nicotine.

E-liquids come in different nicotine strengths, so you can control how much nicotine you need to help with cravings and other withdrawal symptoms, such as feeling irritable and low in mood.

Nicotine itself is not very harmful and has been used safely in medications to help people quit smoking for many years.

​​​​​​​The vaping-smoking debate

For decades, smoking has been a major public health concern, with medical experts around the world warning of the serious health effects of smoking and highlighting the threat it poses to public health.

In recent years, vaping has become an increasingly popular alternative to smoking. While often seen as a less dangerous habit, it is highly addictive and its long-term effects are not yet fully understood due to the newness of vaping. Recent research has linked vaping to an increased risk of lung disease and cardiovascular disease.

There is also growing concern about the effects of vaping on children. Data shows that vaping is more popular among children than smoking ever was. From 2022 to 2023, the proportion of children experimenting with vaping increased by 50%.

Smoking and health

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), tobacco kills 8 million people each year, including 1.3 million non-smokers who die from exposure to second-hand smoke. Of smokers who do not quit, one in three will die from their habit.

Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death across the globe and the number one cause of cancer. Roughly 90% of lung cancer cases in men and 70-80% of cases in women are attributed to cigarette smoking.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) highlight that smoking is known to cause not only cancer, but also heart disease, stroke, diabetes, lung diseases, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). It is also associated with an increased risk of eye diseases, tuberculosis, and immune system illnesses.