If you switched from smoking cigarettes to vaping, assuming it’s a much safer choice, a troubling new study suggests otherwise. Even vaping without nicotine can impair vascular function, raising the likelihood of heart disease and circulation problems.
While traditional cigarettes contain thousands of harmful chemicals, tar, and carcinogens, vaping removes many of these toxins. However, the belief that nicotine-free vaping is completely safe is now being questioned.
For those who never smoked, starting to vape—even without nicotine—may pose unnecessary health risks, according to recent research. Scientists examined the effects of nicotine-free vaping compared to regular nicotine vaping and conventional smoking.
Before diving into the surprising findings, let’s quickly review what vaping entails.
What Exactly Is Vaping?
E-cigarettes, or vapes, are battery-operated devices that heat a liquid to produce an aerosol (vapor) that users inhale. Unlike traditional cigarettes that burn tobacco and release thousands of harmful substances, vapes do not generate smoke or tar, which is why many consider them a safer alternative.
The Vape Juice
The liquid inside vapes, known as e-liquid or vape juice, consists mainly of propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin. These ingredients create the thick vapor users exhale. Although these compounds are safe to consume orally, inhaling them presents a different set of risks.
When heated, they break down into harmful byproducts that can irritate the lungs and airways, potentially causing:
- Persistent coughing
- Difficulty breathing
- Lung inflammation
The Tempting Flavors
The appealing flavors—ranging from fruity to minty to dessert-inspired—often contain toxic chemicals such as:
- Diacetyl: Associated with a severe lung condition called popcorn lung
- Benzaldehyde: A flavoring agent that can irritate respiratory tissues
- Heavy metals: Vape coils may release small amounts of lead, nickel, and tin into the vapor
Even without nicotine, prolonged inhalation of these substances may lead to lung damage and inflammation.
“You’re exposing yourself to a cocktail of chemicals that we don’t fully understand yet and that are likely unsafe,” explained Dr. Michael Blaha from Johns Hopkins Medicine.
A Growing Trend
Vaping’s popularity is surging, especially among youth. In 2021, over 2 million middle and high school students in the U.S. reported using e-cigarettes, with more than 80% of them choosing flavored varieties, according to Johns Hopkins.
“What worries me most about vaping’s rise is that it’s attracting people who might never have smoked otherwise, particularly young people,” Dr. Blaha noted. “Switching from cigarettes to vaping is one thing, but starting nicotine use through vaping is quite another. Nicotine addiction often leads to traditional cigarette use down the line.”
Eye-Opening Findings
The 2024 study aimed to determine whether the base liquids and flavoring chemicals in vapes could still harm health. Researchers compared three groups:
- Nicotine-free vape users
- Nicotine-containing vape users
- Traditional cigarette smokers
Surprisingly, all three groups showed measurable declines in blood vessel function, indicating that nicotine isn’t the only factor contributing to vaping-related health risks.
The study found that “vascular function decreased most after inhaling e-cigarettes with nicotine, followed by e-cigarettes without nicotine.”
Dr. Marianna Nabbout, one of the researchers, stated, “This study highlights the immediate effects smoking and vaping can have on multiple vascular systems in the body.”
More importantly, she added, “If a single use of an e-cigarette can cause immediate vascular changes, it is plausible that long-term use could lead to vascular diseases.”
If you’ve been vaping under the impression it’s a safe substitute for smoking, this new evidence should give you serious pause.
What are your thoughts on vaping? We’d love to hear your perspective. Please share this article to raise awareness about the potential health risks associated with vaping.