Vaping and Smoking
- Smoking kills half of the people who do it. It can cause serious health effects for people who survive–from amputations to lung disease.
- Is vaping safer than smoking? A congressionally mandated panel from the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine examined more than 800 peer-reviewed scientific studies. In its report, the panel concluded that evidence suggests that, while vaping nicotine is not without health risks (see below), it’s likely less harmful than combustible cigarettes if people only vape and don’t smoke.
- Vaping + smoking together: Researchers found that this “dual use” of smoking and vaping may raise long-term risks beyond just smoking. According to research results presented at American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting from The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, those who both smoked and vaped appeared four times more likely to develop lung cancer compared with patients who only smoked.
Research on Vaping
- United States Surgeon General’s Warning on Vaping
- Research Shows Vaping Might Damage Your Smile
- Nicotine alters the adolescent brain. Research shows exposure to nicotine during adolescence can make it easier to become addicted and harder to quit. That’s because it can alter a young brain as it grows.
- Research results on vaping have been mixed regarding short-term effects. Long-term research is needed. Some studies have indicated that vaping might increase risk for:
- Trends: Youth who vape now are more addicted than youth who vaped in the past
- Other drugs: Vaping devices can also be used for the delivery of other drugs, such as cannabis, meth, or kratom.
For parents, schools and caregivers
- Parents:
- How to Talk to Teens about Vaping, April 9, 2024
- Vaping Evolved: What Parents Need to Know, November 17, 2021
- Schools: Find resources to ensure tobacco-free schools here.
- To view a poster by high school student Anna T., click here
- Gateway: A study in the Journal of the American Medical Association found youth who vaped were nearly 4 times more likely to smoke.
- Pollution: The TRUTH Campaign highlighted the environmental risks of vaping.