How Much Is Vaping Bad for You?

Step into a typical vape shop in the UK, and you'll see what's become a familiar sight: refillable pods, compact devices, and shelves of e-liquids in every imaginable flavour. The products have evolved, and so has public perception. Still, a basic but important question keeps coming up: Is vaping bad for you? Or why is vaping bad?

Vaping isn’t perfect, but compared to smoking, it’s a considerably safer way forward, one that has made a meaningful difference for many people by helping them quit smoking.

Health authorities in the UK suggest that vaping carries significantly less risk than smoking, roughly around 95% less. It’s not a clean break, but a step away from something far more dangerous. That figure is based on independent reviews of the chemicals found in both tobacco smoke and e-cigarette vapour.

Cigarettes burn tobacco, releasing tar and carbon monoxide, two of the biggest culprits behind cancer, heart disease, and respiratory illness. Vapes, by contrast, heat a liquid that usually contains nicotine and flavourings. The resulting vapour contains far fewer toxic compounds.

However, many still ask, "Is vaping bad for your teeth?" While the risks to dental health are generally lower than smoking, prolonged use of nicotine-containing vapes can still contribute to oral health issues, including dry mouth and gum irritation.

That doesn’t mean it’s clean air. But in well-regulated products, the levels of harmful substances like formaldehyde or heavy metals are consistently found to be much lower than in cigarette smoke. The difference is significant.

Vaping Side Effects: What You Should Know

While vaping avoids many of the risks tied to smoking, it's not completely without consequences. For some people, especially those new to it, vaping can cause irritation in the throat, coughing, or nausea. These effects are usually temporary and often linked to nicotine strength or how your device is set up.

More importantly, the long-term effects of vaping aren’t fully known yet. That doesn’t mean the risks are high, but it does mean science hasn’t had decades to draw firm conclusions. Still, respected health bodies like the Royal College of Physicians and Cancer Research UK continue to recommend vaping as a safer alternative for smokers.

For everything you need to know about vaping, check out our detailed guide!

What’s perhaps most striking about vaping is the simple fact that, for many trying to let go nicotine patches or gum when used as part of a quit attempt.

A major UK clinical trial published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that adult smokers who switched to e-cigarettes, alongside support, were nearly twice as likely to stay smoke-free after a year compared to those using nicotine patches or gum, 18% versus just under 10% (source).

That finding reflects wider national trends as well. The UK government estimates that vaping products contribute to between 50,000 and 70,000 successful smoking quits each year in England.

This isn’t about trading one habit for another. It’s about using a less harmful tool to move away from a much deadlier one.

What’s Actually in Vape Vapour and Why It Matters

Most e-liquids contain a few key ingredients:

• Nicotine is addictive, but not the main cause of smoking-related illness.
• Propylene Glycol (PG), which gives that familiar throat hit.
• Vegetable Glycerin (VG), which creates thicker vapour.
• Flavourings, similar to those used in food.

When these are heated in a device that’s working properly, the resulting vapour has been found to contain small amounts of some other compounds, but nothing close to the levels seen in tobacco smoke. That said, counterfeit or poorly made devices may expose users to higher levels of toxins. This is why it’s important to stick with trusted UK-based retailers and TPD-compliant products.

Concerns over disposable vapes have been building for a while, mainly because of their appeal to underage users and the environmental waste they generate. Some research also suggested certain disposables emitted higher levels of metals, which raised eyebrows among health experts.

In response, the UK banned the sale of single-use vapes in June 2025. The move was aimed at curbing youth access and reducing plastic and battery waste, not at banning vaping outright. Refillable kits remain legal and widely available to adults.

How Bad Is Vaping For Your Health If You Don’t Smoke?

If you’ve never smoked, vaping offers no real upside. Nicotine can be habit-forming, and even though vaping cuts out much of what makes smoking dangerous, it’s not entirely risk-free, especially for younger people.

Ever wondered how old you have to be to vape? The answer to this question is that UK law prohibits the sale of vape products, including nicotine-free ones, to anyone under 18. The aim is to keep vaping as a harm-reduction tool for people who are already smoking, not something to experiment with recreationally.

Can Vaping Cause Heart Problems? What We Know So Far

Because vaping is relatively new, we don’t have the kind of decades-long data that exists for smoking. But based on what researchers have seen so far, the signs are encouraging.

Vapers generally show lower markers of inflammation, oxidative stress, and cardiovascular strain compared to smokers. In short, vaping isn’t entirely risk-free. But if you’re switching from cigarettes, the evidence suggests your health will be in much better shape.

Whether vaping is a smart choice depends entirely on your situation. If you’ve never smoked, vaping probably isn’t something you need. But if you’re trying to leave cigarettes behind, vaping might offer a path, not perfect, but one that’s helped many step away from something far, far more damaging.

Conclusion

If you’re thinking about making the switch, start with quality, regulated products and, if possible, get support from a stop-smoking advisor. The more informed your approach, the better your results.

Because the real question isn’t just how bad vaping is, it’s how much better life could be without smoking.