Is vaping a healthy alternative to smoking cigarettes?

Among the thousands of toxic chemicals released in cigarette smoke, 70 are carcinogens known to cause cancer. With the introduction of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) and vaping, which avoid many toxins in cigarette smoke, people often ask if vaping is a healthy alternative to cigarettes. Or is vaping worse than smoking cigarettes?

“People ask me if vaping is safer than a cigarette. I don’t think so,” said Dr. Marc Rovner, pulmonologist at IU Health. “While you don’t inhale as many bad chemicals through vaping, the mechanical vapes still produce plumes of smoke that causes bronchitis and lung injuries. Plus, the jury’s still out on whether vaping causes cancer. But vaping is not a good alternative to smoking cigarettes.”

How vaping works

We take a breath about twelve times a minute, so inhalation is a quick way to get a drug into your bloodstream. When it’s carried through cigarette smoke, the chemicals and carbon monoxide coat your mouth, throat and lungs before entering your bloodstream, heart and vascular system.

When you quit smoking and start vaping, the e-cigarette delivers the same nicotine high as smoking cigarettes, but in aerosol form. This sends nicotine into your blood stream right away. Some vape products include flavoring oils, which introduce a couple health risks. Some flavoring chemicals in vapes have caused lung injury and allergic reaction. These flavors have also been shown to attract younger people to vaping. This is dangerous because you’re more likely to become addicted tobacco the younger you are when you start using it.

Vaping delivers far fewer chemicals in its smoke when compared to a lit cigarette, but it’s not risk free. Researchers are still studying the full effects of vaping on the body, but Dr. Rovner says no smoke is good smoke in the body.

“The only thing that should go into your lungs is clean air. Anything you can see–like smoke or smog–isn’t something you should be bringing into your lungs, even from a vape,” Dr. Rovner said.

Nicotine replacement options

While vaping isn’t a recommended nicotine replacement therapy, there are many options to quit smoking and overcome withdrawals from a nicotine addiction. Dr. Rovner says some of the most effective options deliver small amounts of nicotine to help lessen the urges over time.

“When we talk about smoking tobacco, there are two separate issues here: the smoking and the nicotine addiction. Without the nicotine, people would not smoke as much. But nicotine is an incredibly addictive substance,” Dr. Rovner said. “Quitting is hard. We don’t tell people to quit fentanyl or heroin or methadone cold turkey; we tell them to slowly back off because withdrawal is unpleasant.”

There are several safe options to help a smoker wean off a nicotine addiction through smaller doses of the drug. The best smoking cessation aids are the ones approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) because there is scientific evidence to prove they work. These include prescription medications and nasal sprays as well as over-the-counter patches, gums and lozenges. People often use a combination of these options to quit smoking.

Long-term success in quitting

The challenge for any alternative to smoking cigarettes–whether it’s vaping or a nicotine addiction aid–is that these options must be accompanied by behavior changes, too. Smoking is a habit as well as an addiction, and getting additional support or step-by-step guidance to quit can help you stick with it long term.

Reach out to your healthcare provider to see if they offer smoking cessation options, such as the Healthy Results at IU Heath program for primary care patients. You can also call 1.800.Quit.Now or text READY to 34191 to connect with free services from the state of Indiana to help you quit smoking.