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Vaping is often touted as less toxic than smoking. But new research raises concerns about cancer risk

A recently published review in the journal Carcinogenesis suggests nicotine-based e-cigarettes may increase cancer risk, with researchers finding vaping aerosols can damage DNA and trigger chronic inflammation linked to tumor formation.
Although vaping is often touted as "safer than cigarettes," users are exposed to carcinogenic compounds including formaldehyde and heavy metals; Leana Wen, a health expert, warns that "safer than cigarettes" is often misinterpreted as "safe."
More than 1.6 million middle and high school students reported current e-cigarette use in 2024, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; nicotine addiction can develop quickly in adolescents, affecting brain development and future substance use.
Many smokers attempting to quit resort to "dual use," continuing nicotine habits without successfully stopping; the FDA has not approved e-cigarettes as smoking cessation devices due to emerging cancer risk evidence.
Because e-cigarettes have only been widely used for a decade, long-term population data quantifying cancer risk remains unavailable; clinicians recommend using FDA-approved cessation methods rather than commercial vaping products.

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