Vapes have been on the market long enough for researchers to prove that vaping has serious short-term and long-term consequences.
Nicotine dependence
Vaping products contain large amounts of nicotine, which is a highly addictive drug. This means people may develop dependence quickly and it may even increase your chances of smoking traditional cigarettes.
Short-term health effects
Watch for signs of cough, shortness of breath, chest pain, nausea, vomiting and/or diarrhea. These may be signs of lung damage. If you’re experiencing these symptoms, seek medical attention.
Longer-term effects
Vaping can make asthma and other existing lung diseases worse. Breathing in the harmful chemicals from vaping products
Vaping can cause permanent lung damage. Vaping has been proven to be linked to COPD: using e-cigarettes doubles your risk of COPD and vaping and smoking together increases that risk even more.
Some chemicals in vaping products can also cause cardiovascular disease and biological changes that are associated with cancer development.
Disposable and flavoured vapes are especially harmful. Heavy metals from the coils and other metal components of disposable vapes can leach into the e-liquid. Flavouring chemicals combine to form new, toxic chemicals when heated, in addition to the chemicals listed in the ingredients.
See our factsheet 5 Things We Now Know About Vaping
The chemicals listed on the label aren’t the only things you’re inhaling when you vape.
The liquid in a vape product (sometimes referred to as e-juice) contains:
- Propylene glycol (PG)
- Vegetable glycerin (VG)
- Flavourings
- Nicotine (none to very high amounts)
Many of these substances are considered safe for ingestion (eating) however, when these liquids are heated they create a number of toxic chemicals such as:
- Heavy metals including aluminum, nickel and tin (also found in lead-based paint)
- Carbonyls (also found in embalming fluid)
- Tobacco-specific nitrosamines (also found in cigarettes)
- Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) (also found in gasoline)
- Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) (also found in vehicle exhaust)
- Other very small particles also found in wildfire smoke
The ingredients in flavoured vapes can vary widely, and many aren’t listed on the label. Flavouring chemicals combine to form new, toxic chemicals when heated, in addition to the chemicals listed in the ingredients.
Many people who use vaping to quit smoking trade one form of nicotine addiction for another.
Many people who use e-cigarettes to help them quit smoking continue to use e-cigarettes over the long term, trading one form of nicotine addiction for another. Try evidence-based methods like counseling, nicotine replacement products and prescription drugs first. Consult with a medical professional to determine the best approach to help you quit.
If you do decide to vape to quit smoking, don’t smoke and vape during the same time period. Monitor for symptoms affecting your lung health.
Talk to your health care provider professional about options for quitting. Let them know you’re vaping. The ultimate goal is to quit all nicotine products, including vaping.
For more information, please see The continuing divide on E-cigarettes for smoking cessation, Part 1: Research findings from Physicians for a Smoke-Free Canada.
Small children and pets can be poisoned by even tiny amounts of nicotine.
If you swallow, inhale or absorb too much nicotine through the skin, you are at risk for nicotine poisoning. Since e-liquid and nicotine pouches came on the market, nicotine poisonings have increased significantly.
The first symptoms are nausea, vomiting, rapid heartbeat, high blood pressure, headache and dizziness. This is followed by slower heartbeat, drop in blood pressure, shallow breathing and weakness. With enough nicotine, the respiratory muscles can become paralyzed, or the heart can stop, causing death.
Nicotine poisoning is dose dependent: the less someone weighs, the less nicotine it takes. Small children and pets can be poisoned by even tiny amounts of nicotine. Because young children like to explore their environment by putting things in their mouths, most nicotine poisonings occur in children under 5. E-liquids and pouches often look and taste like candy, and cigarette butts still contain nicotine. Keep all nicotine products out of reach!
See our factsheet 5 Things You Need to Know About Nicotine Poisoning
Vaping devices create single-use plastic waste, hazardous waste and electronic waste.
Disposable vapes are single-use plastic devices that never fully break down, contributing to the 33 billion tons of plastic waste that enter the oceans every year. Eventually, they’ll break down into microplastics, which pose long-term risks to ecosystems.
The heavy metals (like lead and mercury) from discarded vapes can leech into the water and soil and be ingested by people and animals, where they can build up over time, potentially reaching toxic levels.
Both vaping devices and other things with rechargeable batteries like electric vehicles use lithium-ion batteries. Since lithium is a non-renewable resource, the more vaping devices sold, the less lithium is available to build electric vehicles (or cell phones, laptops, etc.).
See our factsheet 5 Ways Smoking and Vaping are Poisoning Our Planet