IS VAPING SAFER THAN SMOKING?

In recent years, vaping has emerged as a popular alternative to traditional cigarettes, often promoted as a ‘safer’ option for traditional tobacco smokers. However, there is an ongoing debate among health experts, with some viewing vaping as a harm-reduction tool and others warning of its unknown long-term effects.

In light of these concerns, this article will explore the question: Is vaping safer than smoking?

What are the Misconceptions About Vaping?
Misconceptions about vaping are widespread and growing, with ASH’s 2025 survey on smokers’ perceptions of harm showing more than half (53%) believing vaping was as harmful or more harmful than smoking. This is despite mounting evidence indicating that vaping carries a lower risk than smoking.

Some of the drivers of misunderstanding include the conflation of vaping with smoking, sensationalised media claims, and the fact that long-term effects of vaping simply aren’t yet fully known.

For instance, various major health organisations like the NHS and Cancer Research stress that while new trials show fewer toxins, the duration of vaping’s widespread use is relatively short in comparison to traditional tobacco smoking, limiting long-term conclusions.

As a result, many people overestimate the harm of vaping and misunderstand its relative safety compared with smoking. Failure to address these misconceptions could discourage many smokers from using vaping to quit and increase the likelihood of them reverting to traditional smoking.

Is Vaping Safer Than Smoking?

Media Perception
Media coverage plays an outsized role in shaping how the public views vaping. One notable example is the article published by the Manchester Evening News (MEN) about a research project that had not yet been published, yet was reported with alarming headlines suggesting vaping could be worse than smoking.

The commentary highlights the media’s role in hyping unverified findings. The article describes how research in progress by Manchester Metropolitan University, led by Dr Maxime Boidin, examined vascular function in a small group of smokers, vapers, and non-smokers.

This study has not been peer-reviewed or published. Yet, it was reported with inappropriate headlines. This is after Dr Boidin’s comments about vaping’s potential links to heart disease and dementia were amplified in the media, turning preliminary findings into alarming public statements.

This kind of coverage has fuelled the growing misconception that vaping is as harmful as smoking since ‘it’s much easier to vape continuously than cigarette smoking, which requires lighting up another to keep smoking’.

Ultimately, responsible reporting must provide a balanced, evidence-based context rather than sensationalise early results. Accurate communication is essential to help the public understand the real risks.

Research Project in Progress
The previously mentioned article centred on a research project from Manchester Metropolitan University that claimed vaping may be no better than smoking. However, the study has not yet been peer-reviewed or published, and its methodology remains unclear.

A blog by analyst Clive Bates warns that researchers are making big claims based on short-term reactions to nicotine and lack long-term health data. The problem is that early or incomplete research can be misleading, especially when the media spreads it widely.

Since we don’t know key details, such as people’s smoking history, the type of vape they used, or how the data was analysed, it’s impossible to make firm conclusions about long-term risks.

Nevertheless, this research should serve as a reminder that more long-term data is needed, particularly about cardiovascular and respiratory outcomes over many years for those who vape exclusively or in combination with smoking.

Until complete publication, the findings reported so far should be treated with caution and not used to assert that vaping is as harmful or more harmful than smoking, or to make any firm public health claims.

Reality
Ultimately, vaping, for smokers seeking to quit or reduce smoking, offers a less harmful alternative to traditional tobacco smoking. For example, it lacks tar and carbon monoxide, which are known substances that cause serious diseases like cancer.

However, according to Ash, since 2024, the number of adults who vape has levelled off, indicating that growth has slowed rather than continued to rise rapidly. While vaping remains a valuable tool for some people trying to quit smoking, the plateau could be caused by public awareness of its potential health risks, which has influenced usage trends, especially among young people, from taking up vaping unnecessarily.

The Rise of the Black Market’s Toxic Vapes
The growing black market for unregulated vapes has become a serious public health concern, especially as vaping is often promoted as a safer alternative to smoking. Unlike legal vapes in the UK, which must comply with strict safety and nicotine content regulations, illicit products bypass these safeguards entirely.

Investigations have revealed that black market vapes can contain extremely high levels of nicotine as well as harmful substances such as lead, nickel and other toxic chemicals. Some have even been found to include diacetyl, a flavouring chemical linked to severe lung disease known as ‘popcorn lung’, which is banned in regulated e-liquids.

Following the UK government’s announcement of a disposable vape ban in June 2025, concerns about illegal products have intensified, with authorities reporting a sharp rise in the seizure of illicit vapes. These unregulated devices and e-liquids not only increase health risks but also make it more difficult for consumers to distinguish between legitimate products sold by reputable e-liquid suppliers and dangerous counterfeits.

Who Should Consider Vaping?
Adults who currently smoke traditional tobacco cigarettes may benefit from switching to regulated vaping products. The evidence suggests that for these people, vaping is less harmful than continuing to smoke.

Public-health advice typically emphasises that the primary goal is quitting nicotine entirely, and vaping is one method among several, including behavioural support and nicotine replacement therapy. The key message is to choose vaping only if you already smoke and need an alternative, never as a first nicotine product.