Vaping | Safety, Smoking, Dangers, Pros, Cons, Debate, E-cigarettes, & Tobacco

<!doctype html> <html lang="en" class="topic-desktop ui-ie7 ui-ie"> <head prefix="og: https://ogp.me/ns# fb: https://ogp.me/ns/fb#"> <meta charset="utf-8"> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" /> <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0" /> <link rel="dns-prefetch" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-133"> <link rel="preconnect" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-133"> <link rel="preload" as="script" href="https://www.googletagservices.com/tag/js/gpt.js" /> <link rel="icon" href="/favicon.png" /> <meta name="description" content="Is vaping safe? Learn the pros and cons of the debate." /> <meta name="keywords" content="Vaping, encyclopedia, encyclopeadia, britannica, article" /> <link rel="canonical" href="https://www.britannica.com/procon/vaping-debate" /> <title>Vaping | Safety, Smoking, Dangers, Pros, Cons, Debate, E-cigarettes, & Tobacco | Britannica</title>  <script> !function(){"use strict";function e(e){const t=e.match(/((?=([a-z0-9._!#$%+^&*()[\]<>-]+))\2@[a-z0-9._-]+\.[a-z0-9._-]+)/gi);return t?t[0]:""}function t(t){return e(a(t.toLowerCase()))}function a(e){return e.replace(/\s/g,"")}async function n(e){const t={sha256Hash:"",sha1Hash:""};if(!("msCrypto"in window)&&"https:"===location.protocol&&"crypto"in window&&"TextEncoder"in window){const a=(new TextEncoder).encode(e),[n,c]=await Promise.all([s("SHA-256",a),s("SHA-1",a)]);t.sha256Hash=n,t.sha1Hash=c}return t}async function s(e,t){const a=await crypto.subtle.digest(e,t);return Array.from(new Uint8Array(a)).map(e=>("00"+e.toString(16)).slice(-2)).join("")}function c(e){let t=!0;return Object.keys(e).forEach(a=>{0===e[a].length&&(t=!1)}),t}function i(e,t,a){e.splice(t,1);const n="?"+e.join("&")+a.hash;history.replaceState(null,"",n)}var o={checkEmail:e,validateEmail:t,trimInput:a,hashEmail:n,hasHashes:c,removeEmailAndReplaceHistory:i,detectEmails:async function(){const e=new URL(window.location.href),a=Array.from(e.searchParams.entries()).map(e=>`=`);let s,o;const r=["adt_eih","sh_kit"];if(a.forEach((e,t)=>{const a=decodeURIComponent(e),[n,c]=a.split("=");if("adt_ei"===n&&(s={value:c,index:t,emsrc:"url"}),r.includes(n)){o={value:c,index:t,emsrc:"sh_kit"===n?"urlhck":"urlh"}}}),s)t(s.value)&&n(s.value).then(e=>{if(c(e)){const t={value:e,created:Date.now()};localStorage.setItem("adt_ei",JSON.stringify(t)),localStorage.setItem("adt_emsrc",s.emsrc)}});else if(o){const e={value:{sha256Hash:o.value,sha1Hash:""},created:Date.now()};localStorage.setItem("adt_ei",JSON.stringify(e)),localStorage.setItem("adt_emsrc",o.emsrc)}s&&i(a,s.index,e),o&&i(a,o.index,e)},cb:"adthrive"};const{detectEmails:r,cb:l}=o;r()}(); </script> <script type="text/javascript" data-type="Init Mendel"> window.$UI = {}; window.Constants = {"LICENSE_URL": "/bps/license","DEFAULT_TEST_VERSION": "A","DEFAULT_STATE": "XX","QUIZ_URL": "/quiz","SPOTLIGHT_BROWSE_URL": "/stories/spotlight","CONTENT_TYPE_TEXT": "text/plain;charset=UTF-8","TOPIC_FACTS_DATA_URL": "/facts","QUIZ_BROWSE_IMAGE_QUIZZES": "images","TOPIC_MEDIA_PATH": "/images-videos","USER_PROFILE_URL": "/user","DEBUG_URL": "/debug","ONE_GOOD_FACT_URL": "/one-good-fact","ERROR_404_URL": "/error404","PROCON_CITED_IN_THE_NEWS_URL": "/procon/ProCon-in-the-News","PROCON_URL": "/procon","TOPIC_PAGE_CONTENT_AJAX_URL": "/topic-content/page","INFINITE_SCROLL_PREFIX_URL": "/scroll","TOPIC_TOP_QUESTION_BROWSE_URL": "/questions","CC_USD": "USD","domain": "britannica.com","PROCON_EDITOR_ID": "12941390","SURVEY_URL": "/survey","CATEGORY_BROWSE_URL": "/browse","STORY_BROWSE_URL": "/stories","COUNTRY_US": "US","OPEN_MEDIA_OVERLAY_PARAMETER": "/media","NEWSLETTER_SUBSCRIPTION_URL": "/newsletter-subscription","MAINTENANCE_ERROR_URL": "https://maintenance.eb.com","IMARS_EDITOR_ID": "12365882","PROFILE_EB_EDITOR_URL": "/editor","WEB_INF_RESOURCES_PATH": "WEB-INF/resources","AI_ABOUT_PAGE_URL": "/about-britannica-ai","TOPIC_ADDITIONAL_INFO_PATH": "/additional-info","SUDOKU_GAME_URL": "/games/sudoku","CC_INR": "INR","ARTICLE_PRINT_URL": "/print/article","FIRST_EDITION_URL": "/subscriber/firstedition","WW1_PORTAL_URL": "/discover/World-War-I","MENDEL_COOKIE": "__mendel","topicUrlClasses": "[topic, animal, art, biography, event, place, plant, science, sports, technology, procon, money]","DEMYSTIFIED_BROWSE_URL": "/stories/demystified","LIST_BROWSE_URL": "/list/browse","PROFILE_EXPERT_URL": "/contributor","ASSEMBLY_IMAGE_URL": "/image/assembly","DAY_IN_HISTORY_URL": "/on-this-day","DEFAULT_CURRENCY": "USD","CONTENT_TYPE_XML": "text/xml;charset=UTF-8","PORTAL_FINANCE_BROWSE_URL_PREFIX": "/money/browse","MONEY_IMARS_CATEGORY": "13000","AJAX_PREFIX_URL": "/ajax","TOPIC_BROWSE_URL": "/topic-browse","MARKETING_CONTENT": "/marketing-content","ENV_RUNTIME": "runtime","GALLERY_URL": "/gallery","topicUrlClassesList": "topic|animal|art|biography|event|place|plant|science|sports|technology|procon","CONTENT_TYPE_HTML": "text/html;charset=UTF-8","ENV_LOCAL": "override","MEDIA_OVERLAY_URL": "/media-overlay","CHATBOT_PAGE_URL": "/chatbot","NEWSLETTER_PAGE_URL": "/newsletters","ENV_DEV": "development","MEDIA_URL": "/media","TOPIC_TOP_QUESTION_URL": "/question","PORTAL_FINANCE_URL_PREFIX": "/money","PODCASTS_URL": "/podcasts","STAND_ALONE_VIDEO_URL": "/video","MORE_ON_THIS_DAY_URL": "/more-on-this-day","TOPIC_QUOTES_URL": "/quotes","SEARCH_PAGE_URL": "/search","PROCON_CLASS": "PROCON","KUSTOM_MENDEL_APPLICATION_ID": "1","TOPIC_CONTENT_AJAX_URL": "/topic-content/topic","ENV_BRANCH": "branch","ERROR_URL": "/error","MAIN_VERSION": "mainVersion","TOPIC_COLLECTION_URL": "/summary","LOGINBOX_URL": "/auth/loginbox","PROCON_DEBATE_TOPICS_URL": "/procon/Debate-Topics","ONE_GOOD_FACT_BROWSE_URL": "/one-good-fact/all-good-facts","QUIZ_BROWSE_URL": "/quiz/browse","BIO_BROWSE_URL": "/browse/biographies","LIST_URL": "/list","TIGHTROPE_QUIZ_URL": "/quiz/tightrope","ALPHA_BROWSE_URL": "/sitemap","CONTENT_TYPE_JSON": "application/json","DICTIONARY_URL": "/dictionary","COBRAND_IMAGE_URL": "/image/cobrand","PROCON_IN_THE_NEWS_URL": "/procon/pro-and-con-issues-in-the-news","PROCON_BROWSE_URL": "/procon","QUIZ_BROWSE_VOCAB_QUIZZES": "vocabulary-quizzes","SUBMISSION_URL": "/submission","EB_LOG_OUT": "/auth2/logout","ENV_PRODUCTION": "production","EXPLORE_PORTAL_URL": "/explore","TOPIC_AJAX_URL": "/ajax/topic","TOPIC_SUMMARY_BROWSE_URL": "/summaries","WTFACT_BROWSE_URL": "/stories/wtfact","VIDEO_CHANNEL_URL": "/videos","GALLERY_BROWSE_URL": "/gallery/browse","CACHE_URL": "/cache","PROCON_ABOUT_URL": "/procon/About-ProCon","COMPANION_BROWSE_URL": "/stories/companion","MEDIA_FOLDER": "/eb-media","SHOW_ALL_CONTRIBUTORS": "/additional-info#contributors","BRITANNICA_EDITORS_ID": "4419","ENV_CACHE_DISABLED": "mendelCache","CALCULATORS_BROWSE_URL": "/calculators","STORY_URL": "/story","DEFAULT_COUNTRY": "US","NAVBAR_URL": "/ajax/navbar","EB_LOGIN_URL": "/auth/eb-login","NEW_ARTICLES_URL": "/new-articles",}; window.CDN = "https://cdn.britannica.com"; window.CAM_SETTINGS_URL = "https://cam.britannica.com/settings"; window.CAM_LOGIN_URL = "https://cam.britannica.com/login"; window.CAM_SIGN_UP_URL = "https://cam.britannica.com/registration" window.Mendel = { "config" : { "domain": "britannica.com", "page": "Topic", "videoPlayerId": "UyMCoK2v", "sharedUrl": "https://www.britannica.com/procon/vaping-debate", "amuselabsUrl": "https://cdn3.amuselabs.com", "resourcesPrefixUrl": "https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-133/[url]?v=3.133.36", "date": 20250221, "userInfo": { "type": "ANONYMOUS" ,"currency": "AUUS" ,"country": "SG" ,"state": "XX" ,"timezone": "Asia/Singapore" ,"bcomId": "-4299839479859900122" ,"hasAds": true ,"testVersion": "A" ,"adsTestVersion": "A" ,"consumerId": "" ,"instId": "" ,"consumerUserName": "" ,"instUserName": "" ,"cognito": null }, "tvs":{ "r":[25,25,25,25], "a": [25,25,45,5]}, "isLoggedInAsUser": false, "isPhone": false, "isDesktop": true, "logoutUrl": "/auth2/logout", "selfServiceUrl": "https://myaccount.britannica.com", "cdnUrl": "https://cdn.britannica.com", "chatbotApi": "https://www.britannica.com/chat-api", "fetchOffset": 800, "mendelCookieName": "__mendel", "mendelCookie": {"surveyShown":false,"visitedTopicId":2256738,"currentDate":20250221}, "autocompleteToSearchPage": false,"topicUrl": "https://www.britannica.com/procon/vaping-debate", "freeTopicReason": "NO_REFERRER", "topicId": 2256738, "template": "PROCON", "type": "PROCON", "hasToc": true, "chatbotApi": "https://www.britannica.com/chat-api", "showPreview": false, }, "GA": {"leg":"A","adLeg":"A","userType":"ANONYMOUS","pageType":"Topic","articleTemplateType":"LARGE","gisted":false,"pageNumber":1,"hasSummarizeButton":false,"hasAskButton":true} }; </script> <meta property="fb:app_id" content="1887621861548296"/ <meta name="twitter:card" content="summary_large_image" /> <meta name="twitter:site" content="@britannica" /> <meta name="twitter:image" content="https://cdn.britannica.com/32/261832-050-9E8BB966/Close-up-man-smoking-electronic-cigarette-vape-pen.jpg" /> <meta name="twitter:description" content="Is vaping safe? Learn the pros and cons of the debate."/> <meta property="og:type" content="ARTICLE"/> <meta property="og:title" content="Vaping | Safety, Smoking, Dangers, Pros, Cons, Debate, E-cigarettes, & Tobacco | Britannica"/> <meta property="og:description" content="Is vaping safe? Learn the pros and cons of the debate."/> <meta property="og:site_name" content="Encyclopedia Britannica" /> <meta property="og:url" content="https://www.britannica.com/procon/vaping-debate"/> <meta property="og:image" content="https://cdn.britannica.com/32/261832-050-9E8BB966/Close-up-man-smoking-electronic-cigarette-vape-pen.jpg" /> <meta property="og:image:type" content="image/jpeg" /> <script type="text/javascript" data-type="init opengraph"> Mendel.openGraph = {"type":"ARTICLE","title":"Vaping | Safety, Smoking, Dangers, Pros, Cons, Debate, E-cigarettes, & Tobacco","description":"Is vaping safe? Learn the pros and cons of the debate.","imageUrl":"https://cdn.britannica.com/32/261832-050-9E8BB966/Close-up-man-smoking-electronic-cigarette-vape-pen.jpg","imageType":"image/jpeg","pageUrl":"https://www.britannica.com/procon/vaping-debate"}</script> <link rel="preconnect" href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/"> <link rel="dns-prefetch" href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/" > <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/icon?family=Material+Icons"> <link href="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-133/dist/vendor-bundle.css?v=3.133.36" rel="stylesheet" /> <link href="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-133/dist/mendel-css.css?v=3.133.36" rel="stylesheet" /> <link href="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-133/dist/topic-page.css?v=3.133.36" rel="stylesheet" /> <script type="text/javascript"> if (self !== top) { top.location = self.location; } </script> <script src="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-133/js/at.js?v=3.133.36" async ></script> <script> dataLayer = []; </script> <script type="text/javascript">(function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start': new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0], j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src= '//www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f); })(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-5W6NC8'); </script> <meta name="last-modified" content="2025-01-09" /> <script type="application/ld+json"> {"headline":"Vaping | Safety, Smoking, Dangers, Pros, Cons, Debate, E-cigarettes, & Tobacco","image":{"url":"https://cdn.britannica.com/32/261832-050-9E8BB966/Close-up-man-smoking-electronic-cigarette-vape-pen.jpg","@type":"ImageObject"},"author":[{"name":"The Editors of ProCon","url":"https://www.britannica.com/editor/procon-editors/12941390","@type":"Person"}],"keywords":"Vaping","wordcount":3309,"url":"https://www.britannica.com/procon/vaping-debate","datePublished":"2000-01-01T00:00:00Z","dateModified":"2025-01-09T00:00:00Z","description":"Is vaping safe? Learn the pros and cons of the debate.","publisher":{"logo":{"url":"https://corporate.britannica.com/wp-content/themes/eb-corporate/_img/logo.png","@type":"ImageObject"},"name":"Encyclopedia Britannica","@type":"Organization"},"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"article"} </script> </head> <body data-leg="A" class="new-topic topic-procon first-page-true user-ANONYMOUS user-ads md-desktop leg-a b-ie">  <script>Mendel.config.adProvider='cafemedia';</script> <script data-no-optimize="1" data-cfasync="false"> (function(w, d) { w.adthrive = w.adthrive || {}; w.adthrive.cmd = w. adthrive.cmd || []; w.adthrive.plugin = 'adthrive-ads-manual'; w.adthrive.host = 'ads.adthrive.com';var s = d.createElement('script'); s.async = true; s.referrerpolicy='no-referrer-when-downgrade'; s.src = 'https://' + w.adthrive.host + '/sites/61575e5c934c481d714b3ca9/ads.min.js?referrer=' + w.encodeURIComponent(w.location.href) + '&cb=' + (Math.floor(Math.random() * 100) + 1); var n = d.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; n.parentNode.insertBefore(s, n); })(window, document); </script> <div class="ie-warning d-flex align-items-center align-self-center justify-content-center site-alert bg-orange"> <div> You are using an <strong>outdated</strong> browser. Please <a class="text-white text-underscore" href="https://browsehappy.com/">upgrade your browser</a> to improve your experience and security. </div> </div> <script id="json-navbar-info" type="application/json"> {"topSectionLinks":[{"title":"Ask the Chatbot","url":"/chatbot","navbarId":"CHATBOT"},{"title":"Games & Quizzes","url":"/quiz/browse","navbarId":"QUIZZES"},{"title":"History & Society","url":"/History-Society","navbarId":"HISTORY"},{"title":"Science & Tech","url":"/Science-Tech","navbarId":"SCIENCE"},{"title":"Biographies","url":"/Biographies","navbarId":"BIOS"},{"title":"Animals & Nature","url":"/Animals-Nature","navbarId":"ANIMALS"},{"title":"Geography & Travel","url":"/Geography-Travel","navbarId":"GEOGRAPHY"},{"title":"Arts & Culture","url":"/Arts-Culture","navbarId":"ART"},{"title":"ProCon","url":"/procon","selected":true,"navbarId":"PROCON"},{"title":"Money","url":"/money","navbarId":"MONEY"},{"title":"Videos","url":"/videos","navbarId":"VIDEOS"}],"selectedSuperCategory":{"id":7,"title":"ProCon","url":"procon","description":"Explore pros and cons lists for debated issues presented in a non-partisan format with supporting background information, statistics, and resources.","keywords":"Pros and cons, Debate topics, Opposing views, pros cons list, Controversial topics","classId":"PROCON","sortOrder":7},"selectedNavbarLink":{"title":"ProCon","url":"/procon","selected":true,"navbarId":"PROCON"}} </script> <script id="json-hamburger-menu" type="application/json"> {"britannicaMenu1":[{"title":"Home","url":"/"},{"title":"History & Society","url":"/History-Society"},{"title":"Science & Tech","url":"/Science-Tech"},{"title":"Biographies","url":"/Biographies"},{"title":"Animals & Nature","url":"/Animals-Nature"},{"title":"Geography & Travel","url":"/Geography-Travel"},{"title":"Arts & Culture","url":"/Arts-Culture"},{"title":"ProCon","url":"/procon"},{"title":"Money","url":"/money"}],"britannicaMenu2":[{"title":"Games & Quizzes","url":"/quiz/browse"},{"title":"Videos","url":"/videos"},{"title":"On This Day","url":"/on-this-day"},{"title":"One Good Fact","url":"/one-good-fact"},{"title":"Dictionary","url":"/dictionary"},{"title":"New Articles","url":"/new-articles"}],"browseByCategory":[{"title":{"id":5,"title":"History & Society","url":"/History-Society"},"links":[{"title":"Lifestyles & Social Issues","url":"/browse/Lifestyles-Social-Issues"},{"title":"Philosophy & Religion","url":"/browse/Philosophy-Religion"},{"title":"Politics, Law & Government","url":"/browse/Politics-Law-Government"},{"title":"World History","url":"/browse/World-History"}]},{"title":{"id":6,"title":"Science & Tech","url":"/Science-Tech"},"links":[{"title":"Health & Medicine","url":"/browse/Health-Medicine"},{"title":"Science","url":"/browse/Science"},{"title":"Technology","url":"/browse/Technology"}]},{"title":{"id":3,"title":"Biographies","url":"/Biographies"},"links":[{"title":"Browse Biographies","url":"/browse/biographies"}]},{"title":{"id":1,"title":"Animals & Nature","url":"/Animals-Nature"},"links":[{"title":"Birds, Reptiles & Other Vertebrates","url":"/browse/Birds-Reptiles-Vertebrates"},{"title":"Bugs, Mollusks & Other Invertebrates","url":"/browse/Bugs-Mollusks-Invertebrates"},{"title":"Environment","url":"/browse/Environment"},{"title":"Fossils & Geologic Time","url":"/browse/Fossil-Geologic-Time"},{"title":"Mammals","url":"/browse/Mammals"},{"title":"Plants","url":"/browse/Plants"}]},{"title":{"id":4,"title":"Geography & Travel","url":"/Geography-Travel"},"links":[{"title":"Geography & Travel","url":"/browse/Geography-Travel"}]},{"title":{"id":2,"title":"Arts & Culture","url":"/Arts-Culture"},"links":[{"title":"Entertainment & Pop Culture","url":"/browse/Entertainment-Pop-Culture"},{"title":"Literature","url":"/browse/Literature"},{"title":"Sports & Recreation","url":"/browse/Sports-Recreation"},{"title":"Visual Arts","url":"/browse/Visual-Arts"}]}],"browseByFeature":[{"title":"Companions","url":"/stories/companion"},{"title":"Demystified","url":"/stories/demystified"},{"title":"Image Galleries","url":"/gallery/browse"},{"title":"Lists","url":"/list/browse"},{"title":"Podcasts","url":"/podcasts"},{"title":"Spotlight","url":"/stories/spotlight"},{"title":"Summaries","url":"/summary"},{"title":"The Forum","url":"/stories/the-forum"},{"title":"Top Questions","url":"/question"},{"title":"#WTFact","url":"/stories/wtfact"}],"moreFromBritannica":[{"title":"Britannica Kids","url":"https://kids.britannica.com/","newTab":true}],"menuType":"DEFAULT"} </script> <header id="header" class="bg-navy-dark"> <div class="global-nav-top-bar"> <div class="grid gx-0 h-100 justify-content-between align-items-center container-lg mx-auto p-0 position-relative"> <div class="d-flex align-items-center"> <button class="d-flex align-items-center justify-self-start js-toggle js-toggle-hamburger btn btn-link link-white btn-sm rounded-0 p-10"> <div class="hamburger-tooltip"> <em class="material-icons d-inline-block font-24" id="nav-toggle" data-icon="menu"></em> </div> <em class="material-icons d-inline-block font-24 global-nav-search-icon" id="nav-search-icon" data-icon="search" ></em> </button> <a href="/" class="d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center ml-10"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel/eb-logo/MendelNewThistleLogo.png" alt="Encyclopedia Britannica" class="global-nav-logo global-nav-logo-left" /> </a> <div class="global-nav-top-search-bar global-nav-top-search-container global-nav-search-container" id="global-nav-top-search-bar"> <form method="get" action="/search" id="global-nav-search" class="md-search-form m-0 global-nav-search-bar-small"> <div class="search-box position-relative col-100"> <label class="sr-only" for="global-nav-search-query">Search Britannica</label> <input name="query" id="global-nav-search-query" placeholder="Search Britannica..." class="form-control form-control-lg rounded-lg font-16 search-query pl-20 pr-70 shadow-sm" maxlength="200" autocomplete="off" aria-label="Search Britannica" /> <button class="search-reset-btn btn btn-link px-10 position-absolute top-0 h-100 d-none" type="reset"> <em class="material-icons" data-icon="close"></em> </button> <button class="search-submit btn btn-link text-blue px-10 position-absolute top-0 right-0 h-100" type="submit" disabled> <span class="sr-only">Click here to search</span> <em class="material-icons search-icon" data-icon="search"></em> </button> </div> </form> </div> </div> <a href="/" class="d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel/eb-logo/MendelNewThistleLogo.png" alt="Encyclopedia Britannica" class="global-nav-center global-nav-logo non-homepage-logo" /> </a> <form method="get" action="/search" id="global-nav-search" class="md-search-form m-0 global-nav-search-bar-small global-nav-center search global-nav-center-search-container"> <div class="search-box position-relative col-100"> <label class="sr-only" for="global-nav-search-query">Search Britannica</label> <input name="query" id="global-nav-search-query" placeholder="Search Britannica..." class="form-control form-control-lg rounded-lg font-16 search-query pl-20 pr-70 shadow-sm" maxlength="200" autocomplete="off" aria-label="Search Britannica" /> <button class="search-reset-btn btn btn-link px-10 position-absolute top-0 h-100 d-none" type="reset"> <em class="material-icons" data-icon="close"></em> </button> <button class="search-submit btn btn-link text-blue px-10 position-absolute top-0 right-0 h-100" type="submit" disabled> <span class="sr-only">Click here to search</span> <em class="material-icons search-icon" data-icon="search"></em> </button> </div> </form> <div class="col-35 col-sm-auto text-right order-3 mr-lg-15 align-items-center d-flex justify-content-end"> <div class="d-none d-md-inline-block"> <SPAN class="marketing-HEADER_SUBSCRIPTION_DESKTOP2 marketing-content" data-marketing-id="HEADER_SUBSCRIPTION_DESKTOP2"><a href="https://premium.britannica.com/premium-membership/?utm_source=premium&utm_medium=global-nav&utm_campaign=evergreen-cap" class="subscribe-link btn btn-sm btn-orange py-5 mr-10" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> SUBSCRIBE </a></SPAN></div> <div class="d-inline-block d-md-none mr-5 mr-sm-10"> <SPAN class="marketing-HEADER_SUBSCRIPTION_MOBILE marketing-content" data-marketing-id="HEADER_SUBSCRIPTION_MOBILE"><a href="https://premium.britannica.com/premium-membership/?utm_source=premium&utm_medium=global-nav-mobile&utm_campaign=evergreen" class="subscribe-link btn btn-xs btn-orange p-5" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> SUBSCRIBE </a></SPAN></div> <button class="js-toggle-user-dropdown js-toggle btn btn-sm btn-link link-white rounded-0 px-md-15 pl-5 pr-5"> <span class="d-none d-md-inline-block mr-5">Login</span> <em class="material-icons d-inline-block d-md-none font-16 font-sm-20" data-icon="account_circle"></em> <div class="d-none dropdown-menu-subscription-link">https://premium.britannica.com/premium-membership/?utm_source=premium&utm_medium=nav-login-box&utm_campaign=evergreen</div> <em class="material-icons inactive-icon d-inline-block font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_down"></em> <em class="material-icons active-icon d-inline-block font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_up"></em> </button> </div> </div> </div> <div class="d-none hamburger-menu-subscription-link"><DIV class="marketing-HAMBURGER_MENU_CTA marketing-content" data-marketing-id="HAMBURGER_MENU_CTA"><a href="https://premium.britannica.com/premium-membership/?utm_source=premium&utm_medium=hamburger-menu&utm_campaign=evergreen" class="subscribe-link btn btn-sm btn-orange py-5" target="_blank"> SUBSCRIBE </a></DIV></div> <div id="global-nav-react"> <div class="d-none"> <ul> <li><a href="/">Home</a></li> <li><a href="/History-Society">History & Society</a></li> <li><a href="/Science-Tech">Science & Tech</a></li> <li><a href="/Biographies">Biographies</a></li> <li><a href="/Animals-Nature">Animals & Nature</a></li> <li><a href="/Geography-Travel">Geography & Travel</a></li> <li><a href="/Arts-Culture">Arts & Culture</a></li> <li><a href="/procon">ProCon</a></li> <li><a href="/money">Money</a></li> </ul> <ul> <li><a href="/quiz/browse">Games & Quizzes</a></li> <li><a href="/videos">Videos</a></li> <li><a href="/on-this-day">On This Day</a></li> <li><a href="/one-good-fact">One Good Fact</a></li> <li><a href="/dictionary">Dictionary</a></li> <li><a href="/new-articles">New Articles</a></li> </ul> <a href="/History-Society">History & Society</a> <ul> <li><a href="/browse/Lifestyles-Social-Issues">Lifestyles & Social Issues</a></li> <li><a href="/browse/Philosophy-Religion">Philosophy & Religion</a></li> <li><a href="/browse/Politics-Law-Government">Politics, Law & Government</a></li> <li><a href="/browse/World-History">World History</a></li> </ul> <a href="/Science-Tech">Science & Tech</a> <ul> <li><a href="/browse/Health-Medicine">Health & Medicine</a></li> <li><a href="/browse/Science">Science</a></li> <li><a href="/browse/Technology">Technology</a></li> </ul> <a href="/Biographies">Biographies</a> <ul> <li><a href="/browse/biographies">Browse Biographies</a></li> </ul> <a href="/Animals-Nature">Animals & Nature</a> <ul> <li><a href="/browse/Birds-Reptiles-Vertebrates">Birds, Reptiles & Other Vertebrates</a></li> <li><a href="/browse/Bugs-Mollusks-Invertebrates">Bugs, Mollusks & Other Invertebrates</a></li> <li><a href="/browse/Environment">Environment</a></li> <li><a href="/browse/Fossil-Geologic-Time">Fossils & Geologic Time</a></li> <li><a href="/browse/Mammals">Mammals</a></li> <li><a href="/browse/Plants">Plants</a></li> </ul> <a href="/Geography-Travel">Geography & Travel</a> <ul> <li><a href="/browse/Geography-Travel">Geography & Travel</a></li> </ul> <a href="/Arts-Culture">Arts & Culture</a> <ul> <li><a href="/browse/Entertainment-Pop-Culture">Entertainment & Pop Culture</a></li> <li><a href="/browse/Literature">Literature</a></li> <li><a href="/browse/Sports-Recreation">Sports & Recreation</a></li> <li><a href="/browse/Visual-Arts">Visual Arts</a></li> </ul> <ul> <li><a href="/stories/companion">Companions</a></li> <li><a href="/stories/demystified">Demystified</a></li> <li><a href="/gallery/browse">Image Galleries</a></li> <li><a href="/list/browse">Lists</a></li> <li><a href="/podcasts">Podcasts</a></li> <li><a href="/stories/spotlight">Spotlight</a></li> <li><a href="/summary">Summaries</a></li> <li><a href="/stories/the-forum">The Forum</a></li> <li><a href="/question">Top Questions</a></li> <li><a href="/stories/wtfact">#WTFact</a></li> </ul> <ul> <li><a href="https://kids.britannica.com/">Britannica Kids</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </header> <div class="bg-navy-dark"> <div class="container-lg p-0 d-flex justify-content-center global-nav-categories-bar overflow-hidden"> <div class="slider js-slider position-relative d-inline-flex align-items-center mw-100 global-nav-slider category-snap-slider"> <div class="slider-container js-slider-container overflow-hidden d-flex font-14 overflow-hidden text-nowrap mx-5"> <a class="nav-bar-category mx-5 category-link-CHATBOT " href="/chatbot">Ask the Chatbot</a> <a class="nav-bar-category mx-5 category-link-QUIZZES " href="/quiz/browse">Games & Quizzes</a> <a class="nav-bar-category mx-5 category-link-HISTORY " href="/History-Society">History & Society</a> <a class="nav-bar-category mx-5 category-link-SCIENCE " href="/Science-Tech">Science & Tech</a> <a class="nav-bar-category mx-5 category-link-BIOS " href="/Biographies">Biographies</a> <a class="nav-bar-category mx-5 category-link-ANIMALS " href="/Animals-Nature">Animals & Nature</a> <a class="nav-bar-category mx-5 category-link-GEOGRAPHY " href="/Geography-Travel">Geography & Travel</a> <a class="nav-bar-category mx-5 category-link-ART " href="/Arts-Culture">Arts & Culture</a> <a class="nav-bar-category mx-5 category-link-PROCON selected selected" href="/procon">ProCon</a> <a class="nav-bar-category mx-5 category-link-MONEY " href="/money">Money</a> <a class="nav-bar-category mx-5 category-link-VIDEOS " href="/videos">Videos</a> </div> <button disabled class="prev-button js-prev-button position-absolute btn btn-circle shadow btn-blue " aria-label="Previous"> <span class="material-icons md-24" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_left"></span> </button> <button disabled class="next-button js-next-button position-absolute btn btn-circle shadow btn-blue " aria-label="Next"> <span class="material-icons md-24" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></span> </button> </div> </div> </div> <main> <div class="md-page-wrapper"> <div id="content" class="md-content"> <div class="md-article-container template-procon"> <div class="infinite-scroll-container article last"> <script> Object.assign( window.Mendel.config, { "infiniteScrollList": [{"p":1,"t":2256738},{"p":1,"t":1777841},{"p":1,"t":414481},{"p":11,"t":550049},{"p":1,"t":531849},{"p":2,"t":351515},{"p":1,"t":117732},{"p":2,"t":128813},{"p":1,"t":194285},{"p":8,"t":380246}], "sequence": 1, "topics": {} }); </script> <article class="article-content container-lg qa-content px-0 pt-0 pb-40 py-lg-20 content md-expanded" data-topic-id="2256738"> <div class="grid gx-0"> <div class="col-auto"> <div class="topic-left-rail md-article-drawer position-relative d-flex border-right-sm border-left-sm open"> <div class="drawer d-flex flex-column open"> <div class="left-rail-section-content"> <div class="topic-left-rail-header text-truncate bg-gray-50 position-relative text-right d-flex align-items-center"> <div class="tlr-title px-20 py-15 text-left"> <em class="material-icons text-gray-400 d-lg-none" data-icon="toc"></em> <a class="font-serif font-weight-bold text-black link-blue" href="https://www.britannica.com/procon/vaping-debate">Vaping</a> </div> <button aria-label="Close" class="js-sections-close-button btn-link btn-sm btn d-lg-none position-absolute top-0 p-10 right-0" > <em class="material-icons font-26" data-icon="close"></em> </button> </div> <div class="section-content pl-10 pr-20 pl-sm-50 pr-sm-60 pl-lg-5 pr-lg-10 pt-10 pt-lg-0 bg-gray-50 clear-catfish-ad"> <div class="toc mb-20"> <div class="font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mx-15 mb-15 mt-20"> Table of Contents </div> <ul class="list-unstyled my-0" data-level="h1"><li data-target="#ref1"><div class="pl-25"><a class="link-gray-900 w-100" href="/procon/vaping-debate">Introduction</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#refref-table-2256738"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><div class="ml-25"></div><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="https://www.britannica.com/procon/vaping-debate#ref-table-2256738">Pros and Cons at a Glance</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#ref396124"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><button class="h1-link-drawer-button btn btn-xs btn-circle d-flex rounded" type="button" aria-label="Toggle Heading"><em class="material-icons font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></em></button><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/procon/vaping-debate#ref396124">Pros</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref396125"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/procon/vaping-debate#ref396125">Pro 1: E-cigarettes help adults quit smoking and lower youth smoking rates.</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref396126"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/procon/vaping-debate#ref396126">Pro 2: Vaping is a safer way to ingest tobacco.</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref396127"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/procon/vaping-debate#ref396127">Pro 3: E-cigarettes reduce health care costs, create jobs, and help the economy.</a></li></ul></div></li><li data-target="#ref396128"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><button class="h1-link-drawer-button btn btn-xs btn-circle d-flex rounded" type="button" aria-label="Toggle Heading"><em class="material-icons font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></em></button><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/procon/vaping-debate#ref396128">Cons</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref396129"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/procon/vaping-debate#ref396129">Con 1: Vaping among kids is skyrocketing, addicting a new generation to nicotine and smoking.</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref396130"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/procon/vaping-debate#ref396130">Con 2: Vaping causes serious health risks, including depression, lung disease, and stroke.</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref396131"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/procon/vaping-debate#ref396131">Con 3: E-cigarettes can catch fire and even explode.</a></li></ul></div></li><li data-target="#ref396132"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><div class="ml-25"></div><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/procon/vaping-debate#ref396132">Discussion Questions</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#ref396133"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><div class="ml-25"></div><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/procon/vaping-debate#ref396133">Take Action</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#ref396134"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><div class="ml-25"></div><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/procon/vaping-debate#ref396134">Sources</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li></ul> <a class="toc-extra-link link-gray-900" href="https://www.britannica.com/procon/vaping-debate/additional-info">References & Edit History</a> <a class="toc-extra-link link-gray-900" href="/facts/vaping-debate">Related Topics</a> </div> <div class="tlr-media-slider pb-10 mb-30"> <a class="section-header link-gray-900 font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mb-10 mx-10" href="https://www.britannica.com/procon/vaping-debate/images-videos">Images</a> <div class="slider js-slider position-relative d-inline-flex align-items-center mw-100 "> <div class="slider-container js-slider-container overflow-hidden d-flex overflow-hidden text-nowrap ml-15"> <a href="https://cdn.britannica.com/32/261832-050-9E8BB966/Close-up-man-smoking-electronic-cigarette-vape-pen.jpg" data-href="/media/1/2256738/320087" class="media-overlay-link d-inline-block mr-5"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/32/261832-004-A78316AF/Close-up-man-smoking-electronic-cigarette-vape-pen.jpg" alt="Vaping" height="50" /> </a> </div> <button disabled class="prev-button js-prev-button position-absolute btn btn-circle shadow btn-blue " aria-label="Previous"> <span class="material-icons md-24" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_left"></span> </button> <button disabled class="next-button js-next-button position-absolute btn btn-circle shadow btn-blue " aria-label="Next"> <span class="material-icons md-24" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></span> </button> </div> </div> <div class="mb-30 tlr-read-next"> <div class="text-gray-900 p-5 font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mx-10 mb-10"> Read Next </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/story/pro-and-con-vaping"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/73/230873-131-446929AB/Young-woman-vaping-face-obscured-by-vape-cloud.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="Young woman vaping, face obscured by vape cloud" width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/story/pro-and-con-vaping" >Pro and Con: Vaping</a> </div> </div> </div> <div class="mb-30 tlr-discover"> <div class="text-gray-900 p-5 font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mx-10 mb-10"> Discover </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/list/periods-of-american-literature"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/56/198256-131-63923156/Chapter-header-The-Adventures-of-Tom-Sawyer-1884.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="Chapter 4 pg 42 - Chapter header of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain. Published in 1884 by The American Publishing Company" width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/list/periods-of-american-literature" >Periods of American Literature</a> </div> </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/list/6-deadliest-earthquakes"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/41/166941-131-E27FD3A6/Yingxiu-school-China-Sichuan-earthquake-May-2008.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="earthquake. Heavily damaged school in the town of Yingxiu after a major earthquake struck China's Sichuan Province on May 12, 2008." width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/list/6-deadliest-earthquakes" >The 6 Deadliest Earthquakes Since 1950</a> </div> </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/list/8-of-the-largest-empires-in-history"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/11/191611-131-E5041420/Watercolour-uprising-Decembrist-Karl-Ivanovich-Kollmann-St-1825.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="Title: Senate Square, St. Petersburg, December 14, 1825: repression of the troop mutiny - watercolor by Carl Ivanovitch Kollman, 1825 depicts Decembrist uprising clashing with cavalry, with spectators watching. (new style December 26, 1825) Europe. Saint" width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/list/8-of-the-largest-empires-in-history" >8 of the Largest Empires in History</a> </div> </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/story/nikola-teslas-weird-obsession-with-pigeons"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/13/173513-131-C6E1BD52/mourning-dove-North-America.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="bird. mourning dove. pigeon and dove. Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) family Columbidae." width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/story/nikola-teslas-weird-obsession-with-pigeons" >Nikola Tesla's Weird Obsession with Pigeons</a> </div> </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/story/why-does-salt-melt-ice"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/15/191515-131-7668BA72/winter-ice-salt-ground-background-pattern.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="winter ice melting salt on the ground, pattern as background" width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/story/why-does-salt-melt-ice" >Why Does Salt Melt Ice?</a> </div> </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/story/from-sport-to-spectacle-the-history-of-the-super-bowl"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/94/188294-050-BE037BD2/analysis-game-results-Super-Bowls-teams-wins-MVP-NFL-football-infographic.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="Data analysis of the Super Bowl's "winningest" teams, game locations, MVP winners by position, teams with the most game losses. football, sports, infographic" width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/story/from-sport-to-spectacle-the-history-of-the-super-bowl" >From Sport to Spectacle: The History of the Super Bowl</a> </div> </div> <div class="imagelink-with-image-on-the-side card card-horizontal tlr-img-with-side-link ml-15 link-gray-900 mb-10" > <div class="position-relative card-media" style="flex: 0;"> <a class="ilf-image position-relative" href="/list/secret-service-code-names-of-11-us-presidents"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/45/189145-131-45FF672E/Secret-Service-Agent-Earpiece.jpg?w=200&h=200&c=crop" alt="Secret Service Agent Listens To Earpiece" width="200" height="200" /> </a> </div> <div class="card-body ilf-content"> <a class="font-weight-semi-bold d-block mb-5 font-16 ilf-title" href="/list/secret-service-code-names-of-11-us-presidents" >Secret Service Code Names of 11 U.S. Presidents</a> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <button class="drawerToggle btn position-sticky border btn-xs btn-white btn-circle rounded-sm d-none d-lg-flex " type="button" aria-label="Toggle Drawer"> <em class="material-icons font-18 text-blue" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_left"></em> </button> </div> </div> <div class="col"> <div class="h-100 ml-0 pr-lg-0 "> <div class="h-100 grid gx-0 gx-lg-20"> <div class="h-100 col-sm"> <div class="h-100 infinite-pagination-container d-flex flex-column position-relative"> <div class="position-absolute top-0 h-100 w-100"> <div class="toc-sticky-header d-none d-lg-none bg-gray-50 px-10 px-sm-30 position-sticky w-100 "> <div class="toc-sticky-header-inner-container align-items-center d-flex mx-auto h-100 w-100"> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-sm btn-white text-blue border-2 border-gray-100 gtm-mobile-toc-header-button js-sections-button d-lg-none p-10"> <em class="material-icons my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Contents </button> <div class="header-ai-simplify-button-placeholder"></div> <div class="header-ai-ask-button-placeholder"></div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="grey-box w-100 grey-box-top grey-box-bottom"> <div class="grey-box-content mx-auto w-100"> <script type="application/ld+json"> { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement" : [ { "@type" : "ListItem", "position" : 1, "item" : { "@id" : "/procon", "name": "ProCon" } } ] } </script> <nav class="mt-10"> <a class="procon-label font-weight-semi-bold font-14 super-category-badge rounded" href="/procon">ProCon</a> </nav> <div class="page2ref-true topic-content topic-type-REGULAR" data-student-article="false"> <script class="page-description-json" type="application/json"> { "url": "/procon/vaping-debate", "shareUrl": "https://www.britannica.com/procon/vaping-debate", "browserTitle": "Vaping | Safety, Smoking, Dangers, Pros, Cons, Debate, E-cigarettes, & Tobacco", "firstTopicPage": true, "topicId":2256738 } </script> <div class="reading-channel"> <div class="desktop-header-image module-spacing"> <figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-20 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="13684" data-asm-type="image"> <div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media " data-type="image"> <a style="min-height: 160px;" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/32/261832-050-9E8BB966/Close-up-man-smoking-electronic-cigarette-vape-pen.jpg" class="gtm-assembly-link position-relative d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center media-overlay-link card-media" data-href="/media/1/2256738/320087"> <picture> <source media="(min-width: 680px)" srcset="https://cdn.britannica.com/32/261832-050-9E8BB966/Close-up-man-smoking-electronic-cigarette-vape-pen.jpg?w=300"> <img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/32/261832-050-9E8BB966/Close-up-man-smoking-electronic-cigarette-vape-pen.jpg?w=400&h=300&c=crop" alt="Vaping" loading="eager" /> </picture> <button class="magnifying-glass btn btn-circle position-absolute shadow btn-white top-10 right-10" aria-label="Zoom in"> <em class="material-icons link-blue" data-icon="zoom_in"></em> </button> </a> </div> <figcaption class="card-body"> <div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"> <span> <a class="gtm-assembly-link md-assembly-title font-weight-bold d-inline font-sans-serif mr-5 media-overlay-link" href="https://cdn.britannica.com/32/261832-050-9E8BB966/Close-up-man-smoking-electronic-cigarette-vape-pen.jpg" data-href="/media/1/2256738/320087">Vaping</a> <span><span>A man using a vape pen.</span></span> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <span class="link-blue">(more)</span> </button> </span> </div> </figcaption> </figure> </div><div class="topic-header"> <div class="d-flex align-items-top justify-content-between"> <div class="d-flex flex-column"> <div> <div> <h1>Vaping</h1></div> </div> <div class="topic-identifier font-16 font-md-20">Is Vaping Safe?</div> </div> </div> <div class="d-none d-sm-flex flex-row"> <div class="mr-10 mb-15"> <button class="ai-ask-button btn btn-sm border-2 btn-outline-red-400 border-red-400 btn-sm btn-outline-red-400 border-red-400 px-sm-5 px-md-10 js-inline-ai-ask-button"> Ask the Chatbot a Question </button> </div> <div class="d-block md-topic-tools qa-action-buttons mb-15" data-topic-id="2256738"> <button class="js-tooltip btn btn-sm btn-outline-blue border pr-10 border-2 text-nowrap" > <em class="material-icons md-icon ml-n10 my-n5 mr-5" data-icon="more_vert"></em> More Actions </button> <div class="md-more-popover popover popover-sm p-0 font-14 z-1"> <div> <button class="js-print-modal-button js-modal gtm-topic-tool btn btn-sm btn-link gtm-topic-tool font-weight-bold btn-link" data-modal="[data-topic-id=2256738] .md-print-modal" > <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="print"></em> Print </button> <div class="md-print-modal size-lg d-none"> <div class="md-modal-body"> <div class="h2 font-serif d-flex align-items-center pb-15 border-bottom"> <em class="material-icons text-blue mr-10">print</em> Print </div> <div class="mt-20 mb-10"> Please select which sections you would like to print: </div> <form action="/print/article/2256738" method="post" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> <div class="print-box-items"> <ul class="list-unstyled"> <li><label><input class="mr-10" type="checkbox" name="sequence[]" value="0">Table Of Contents</label></li> </ul> </div> <input type="submit" class="btn btn-blue md-disabled" value="Print" /> </form> </div> </div> </div> <div> <button class="js-modal qa-cite-modal-button btn btn-sm btn-link gtm-topic-tool font-weight-bold btn-link" data-modal="[data-topic-id=2256738] .md-cite-modal"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="verified"></em> Cite </button> <div class="md-cite-modal size-lg d-none"> <div class="md-modal-body"> <div class="h2 font-serif d-flex align-items-center pb-15 border-bottom mb-15"> <em class="material-icons text-blue mr-10">verified</em>Cite </div> <div class="font-serif"> While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. </div> <div class="label mt-20 mb-10">Select Citation Style</div> <select class="js-citation-format-select form-select"> <option selected value="mla">MLA</option> <option value="apa">APA</option> <option value="chicago">Chicago Manual of Style</option> </select> <div class="citation font-serif border rounded p-15 mt-20" data-authors="The Editors of ProCon" data-authors-initial="The Editors of ProCon" data-title="Vaping" data-published-date="9 Jan. 2025" data-url="https://www.britannica.com/procon/vaping-debate" > <div class="citation-text"></div> </div> <button class="js-copy-citation-button mt-20 btn btn-xs btn-outline-blue border shadow-sm pr-10" > <em class="material-icons md-icon ml-n10 my-n5 mr-5" data-icon="file_copy"></em> <span class="js-citation-status-text">Copy Citation</span> </button> </div> </div> </div> <div> <button class="js-share-modal-button js-modal btn btn-sm btn-link gtm-topic-tool font-weight-bold btn-link" data-modal="[data-topic-id=2256738] .md-share-modal"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="share"></em> Share </button> <div class="md-share-modal size-lg d-none qa-share-modal"> <div class="md-modal-body"> <div class="h2 font-serif d-flex align-items-center pb-15 border-bottom"> <em class="material-icons text-blue mr-10" data-icon="share"></em> Share </div> <div class="label my-20">Share to social media</div> <div class="md-social-toolbar-circle d-flex align-items-start inverted" data-value="share" title="Vaping" data-url="https://www.britannica.com/procon/vaping-debate" > <a class="social-icon facebook justify-content-center d-flex align-items-center align-self-center" data-provider="facebook" href="https://www.facebook.com/BRITANNICA/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span>Facebook</span></a> <a class="social-icon x justify-content-center d-flex align-items-center align-self-center" data-provider="x" href="https://x.com/britannica" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span>X</span></a> </div> <div class="label pt-20 mt-20 mb-5 border-top">URL</div> <a class="font-serif text-truncate d-inline-block" href="https://www.britannica.com/procon/vaping-debate">https://www.britannica.com/procon/vaping-debate</a> </div> </div> </div> <div> <button class="js-feedback-modal-button js-modal btn btn-sm btn-link gtm-topic-tool font-weight-bold btn-link" data-modal=".md-feedback-modal"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="message"></em> Feedback </button> </div> </div> <div class="md-feedback-modal size-lg d-none"> <div class="md-modal-body"> <div class="h2 font-serif pb-15 border-bottom"> Feedback </div> <form method="post" action="/submission/feedback/2256738"> <div class="my-20"> Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). </div> <div class="type-menu"> <label for="feedback-type" class="label mb-10">Feedback Type</label> <select id="feedback-type" class="form-select mb-30" name="feedbackTypeId" required> <option value="" selected="selected">Select a type (Required)</option> <option value="1">Factual Correction</option> <option value="2">Spelling/Grammar Correction</option> <option value="3">Link Correction</option> <option value="4">Additional Information</option> <option value="5">Other</option> </select> </div> <label for="feedback" class="label mb-10">Your Feedback</label> <textarea id="feedback" class="form-control mb-30" name="feedback" maxlength="3000" rows="7" required></textarea> <button class="btn btn-blue" type="submit">Submit Feedback</button> </form> <div class="success-messaging d-none mt-30"> <div class="title">Thank you for your feedback</div> <p>Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.</p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="md-websites-modal size-lg d-none"> <div class="md-modal-body"> <div class="h2 font-serif pb-15 border-bottom font-weight-bold"> External Websites </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="toc-header-marker"></div> <button class="ai-ask-button btn btn-sm border-2 btn-outline-red-400 border-red-400 d-none mr-0 mr-lg-10 ml-5 ml-sm-10 ml-lg-0 p-10 px-sm-5 px-md-10 js-header-ai-ask-button"> Ask the Chatbot a Question </button> <div class="md-byline module-spacing "> <div class="font-serif font-12"> <span class="written-by text-gray-700"> Written and fact-checked by </span> <div class="editor-popover popover p-0"> <a class="d-block p-20 qa-editor-popup gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor" href="/editor/procon-editors/12941390" > <div class="editor-title font-16 font-weight-bold">The Editors of ProCon</div> <div class="editor-description font-12 font-serif mt-5 clamp-description text-black">ProCon's editors write and verify new content and update existing content. ProCon presents the pro and con arguments to debatable issues in a straightforward, nonpartisan, freely accessible way.</div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor text-decoration-underline"> The Editors of ProCon</span></div> <div class="last-updated font-12 font-serif"> <span class="text-gray-700"> Last Updated: <time datetime="2025-01-09T00:00:00CST" >Jan 9, 2025</time> •</span> <a class="byline-edit-history" href="https://www.britannica.com/procon/vaping-debate/additional-info#history" rel="nofollow">Article History</a> </div></div> </div> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button d-none d-sm-block js-sections-inline-button module-spacing btn d-lg-none"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <div class="d-flex d-sm-none flex-row"> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button js-sections-inline-button module-spacing"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <button class="ai-ask-button btn btn-sm border-2 btn-outline-red-400 border-red-400 module-spacing js-inline-ai-ask-button p-10 ml-5"> Ask the Chatbot </button> </div> <section id="ref1"><span class="marker PREMOD1 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Vaping is the act of using <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/e-cigarette" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">e-cigarettes</a>, which were first introduced in the United States around 2006. <a href="/procon/vaping-debate#pcref-2256738-5">[5]</a></p><span class="marker MOD1 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD2 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">E-cigarettes are battery-powered devices that heat a liquid into an <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/aerosol" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">aerosol</a> <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/vaporization" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">vapor</a> for <a class="external" target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inhalation" data-show-preview="true">inhalation</a>. The liquid used in e-cigarettes is also known as “e-liquid” or “vape juice.” The main components are generally flavoring, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/nicotine" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">nicotine</a>, and water, along with vegetable <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/glycerol" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">glycerin</a> and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/propylene-glycol" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">propylene glycol</a>, which distribute the flavor and nicotine in the liquid and create the vapor. Popular flavorings include <a href="https://www.britannica.com/plant/Mentha" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">mint</a>, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/plant/mango-plant-and-fruit" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">mango</a>, and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/plant/common-tobacco" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">tobacco</a>. Vaping <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/marijuana" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">marijuana</a> has grown increasingly popular.<a href="/procon/vaping-debate#pcref-2256738-3">[3]</a><a href="/procon/vaping-debate#pcref-2256738-4">[4]</a><a href="/procon/vaping-debate#pcref-2256738-44">[44]</a><a href="/procon/vaping-debate#pcref-2256738-45">[45]</a></p><span class="marker MOD2 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD3 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">E-cigarettes are also known as “e-cigs,” “e-hookahs,” “mods,” “vape pens,” “vapes,” “vaporizers,” “e-pipes,” and “electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS).” Some e-cigarettes are made to resemble regular cigarettes, cigars, or pipes, while others look like pens or <a href="https://www.britannica.com/technology/USB-flash-drive" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">USB flash drives</a>. <a href="/procon/vaping-debate#pcref-2256738-7">[7]</a><a href="/procon/vaping-debate#pcref-2256738-42">[42]</a><a href="/procon/vaping-debate#pcref-2256738-43">[43]</a></p><span class="marker MOD3 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD4 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">The Juul brand of e-cigarettes, a vaporizer shaped like a <a href="https://www.britannica.com/technology/USB-flash-drive" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">flash drive</a>, launched in 2015 and captured nearly 75% of the market in 2018, becoming so popular that vaping is often referred to as “juuling.” The <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Food-and-Drug-Administration" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">U.S. Food and Drug Administration</a> (FDA) has regulated e-cigarettes as a tobacco product since 2016. <a href="/procon/vaping-debate#pcref-2256738-7">[7]</a><a href="/procon/vaping-debate#pcref-2256738-8">[8]</a><a href="/procon/vaping-debate#pcref-2256738-9">[9]</a><a href="/procon/vaping-debate#pcref-2256738-51">[51]</a></p><span class="marker MOD4 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD5 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Nearly 11 million American adults used e-cigarettes in 2018, more than half of whom were under age 35. One in five high-school students used e-cigarettes to vape nicotine in 2018. E-cigarettes were the fourth most popular tobacco products with 4% of retail sales, behind traditional <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/cigarette" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">cigarettes</a> (83%), <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/chewing-tobacco" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">chewing/smokeless tobacco</a> (8%), and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/cigar" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">cigars</a> (5%) as of Feb. 2019. On Sept. 11, 2019, President <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Donald-Trump" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Donald Trump</a>’s administration announced plans to have the FDA end sales of non-tobacco e-cigarette flavors such as mint or menthol in response to concerns over teen vaping. E-cigarette manufacturers were required to request FDA permission to keep flavored products on the market; the FDA had until Sept. 9, 2021, to make a decision. The global e-cigarette and vape market was worth $15.04 billion in 2020. <a href="/procon/vaping-debate#pcref-2256738-1">[1]</a><a href="/procon/vaping-debate#pcref-2256738-2">[2]</a><a href="/procon/vaping-debate#pcref-2256738-6">[6]</a><a href="/procon/vaping-debate#pcref-2256738-8">[8]</a><a href="/procon/vaping-debate#pcref-2256738-46">[46]</a><a href="/procon/vaping-debate#pcref-2256738-49">[49]</a><a href="/procon/vaping-debate#pcref-2256738-50">[50]</a></p><span class="marker MOD5 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD6 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">On Sept. 9, 2021, acting FDA commissioner Janet Woodcock and director of the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products Mitch Zeller announced that the FDA had made decisions on 93% of the 6.5 million submitted applications for “deemed” new tobacco products (“ ‘deemed’ new” means the FDA newly has authority to review the products but the products may already be on the market) and denied 946,000 vaping products “because their applications lacked sufficient evidence that they have a benefit to adult smokers to overcome the public health threat posed by the well-documented, alarming levels of youth use.” <a href="/procon/vaping-debate#pcref-2256738-55">[55]</a><a href="/procon/vaping-debate#pcref-2256738-56">[56]</a><a href="/procon/vaping-debate#pcref-2256738-57">[57]</a></p><span class="marker MOD6 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD7 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">On Oct. 12, 2021, the FDA authorized the Vuse e-cigarette and cartridges, marketed by <a href="https://www.britannica.com/money/RJ-Reynolds-Tobacco-Company" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">R.J. Reynolds</a>, one of the world’s largest cigarette manufacturers. The move is the first time the FDA authorized any vaping product. According to a statement from the FDA, the organization “determined that the potential benefit to smokers who switch completely or significantly reduce their cigarette use, would outweigh the risk to youth.” <a href="/procon/vaping-debate#pcref-2256738-58">[58]</a></p><span class="marker MOD7 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD8 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">On June 23, 2022, the FDA ordered Juul, for "the protection of public health," to stop selling “all of their products currently marketed in the United States.” Critics had grown especially concerned about the skyrocketing popularity of vaping among teens and the role Juul’s colorful packaging, flavored varieties, and use of young models in their marketing campaigns had played in this phenomenon. The order included removing products currently on the market, including Juul devices (vape pens) and pods (cartridges). The following day, June 24, 2022, a federal appeals court temporarily put the ban on hold while the court reviewed Juul’s appeal. On Sept. 6, 2022, Juul settled a lawsuit brought by almost 36 states and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Puerto-Rico" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Puerto Rico</a>, in which Juul was accused of marketing to minors. Juul admitted no wrongdoing in settling the lawsuit, but the company will have to pay $438.5 million, stop marketing to youth, stop funding education in schools, and stop misrepresenting the amount of nicotine in the products. <a href="/procon/vaping-debate#pcref-2256738-61">[61]</a><a href="/procon/vaping-debate#pcref-2256738-62">[62]</a><a href="/procon/vaping-debate#pcref-2256738-63">[63]</a></p><span class="marker MOD8 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD9 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">In June 2024, the FDA reversed its ban on Juul products and approved four types of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/menthol" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">menthol</a>-flavored vapes made by Njoy. The approval makes the vapes the first flavored e-cigarettes that can be legally sold in the United States. The move comes amid a debate about whether to ban traditional menthol cigarettes at the federal level. <a href="/procon/vaping-debate#pcref-2256738-64">[64]</a></p><span class="marker MOD9 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD10 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">On December 2, 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court heard the FDA’s arguments that flavored vapes should be regulated. The case was brought by two companies whose applications to market vapes with flavors including “Rainbow Road,” “Crème Brulee,” and “Jimmy the Juice Man Peachy Strawberry were rejected” The FDA rejected the applications on the basis that the flavored vapes were a “known and substantial risk” to kids and teens. <a href="/procon/vaping-debate#pcref-2256738-68">[68]</a></p><span class="marker MOD10 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD11 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Internationally, vaping is also seeing a turn in the regulatory tide. Austraila banned all sales of vapes outside of pharmacies in 2024. Belgium banned all sales of disposable vapes as of January 1, 2025. "Disposable e-cigarettes is a new product simply designed to attract new consumers,” said Health minister Frank Vandenbroucke. "E-cigarettes often contain nicotine. Nicotine makes you addicted to nicotine. Nicotine is bad for your health. These are fact," <a href="/procon/vaping-debate#pcref-2256738-67">[67]</a></p><span class="marker MOD11 mod-inline"></span><span class="marker PREMOD12 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">According to the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Centers-for-Disease-Control-and-Prevention" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Centers for Disease Control</a> (CDC), 9.7% of current cigarette smokers were also current vapers, though 49.4% of current smokers had vaped at some point. Of former smokers who had quit within the last year, 25.2% were current vapers and 57.3% had tried vaping. Of former smokers who quit one to four years ago, 17.3% were current vapers and 48.6% had tried vaping. Of former smokers who quit five or more years ago, 1.7% were current vapers and 9% had tried vaping. And of people who have never smoked, 1.5% were current vapers and 6.5% had tried vaping. 18–29-year-olds were more likely to say they vaped (17%) than smoked cigarettes, while every older age group was more likely to smoke than vape. <a href="/procon/vaping-debate#pcref-2256738-52">[52]</a><a href="/procon/vaping-debate#pcref-2256738-54">[54]</a></p><span class="marker MOD12 mod-inline"></span></section><section class="summary"><h2 class="h1" id="ref-table-2256738">Pros and Cons at a Glance</h2><table class="pro-con"><thead><tr><th>PROS</th><th>CONS</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Pro 1: E-cigarettes help adults quit smoking and lower youth smoking rates. <a href="/procon/vaping-debate#ref396125">Read More.</a></td><td>Con 1: Vaping among kids is skyrocketing, addicting a new generation to nicotine and smoking. <a href="/procon/vaping-debate#ref396129">Read More.</a></td></tr><tr><td>Pro 2: Vaping is a safer way to ingest tobacco. <a href="/procon/vaping-debate#ref396126">Read More.</a></td><td>Con 2: Vaping causes serious health risks, including depression, lung disease, and stroke. <a href="/procon/vaping-debate#ref396130">Read More.</a></td></tr><tr><td>Pro 3: E-cigarettes reduce health care costs, create jobs, and help the economy. <a href="/procon/vaping-debate#ref396127">Read More.</a></td><td>Con 3: E-cigarettes can catch fire and even explode. <a href="/procon/vaping-debate#ref396131">Read More.</a></td></tr></tbody></table></section><section id="ref396124"><div class="mb-15"><h2 class="h1 d-inline-block mb-0">Pro Arguments </h2> <a href="/procon/vaping-debate#ref396128">(Go to Con Arguments)</a></div><section class="pro" id="ref396125"> <h2 class="h2">Pro 1: E-cigarettes help adults quit smoking and lower youth smoking rates.</h2> <span class="marker PREMOD13 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Smoking a single cigarette takes 17 minutes of a man’s life and 22 minutes off a woman’s, according to a Dec. 29, 2024 study Men smoke an average of 11.5 cigarettes per day, while women smoke an average of 9.5. In just a week, that’s almost a full day shaved off a male smoker’s life and almost 19 hours off a female’s. Quitting smoking is imperative for a person’s health. <a href="/procon/vaping-debate#pcref-2256738-66">[66]</a></p><span class="marker MOD13 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD14 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Cigarette smokers who picked up vaping are 67% more likely to quit smoking. A <em>New England Journal of Medicine</em> study found that e-cigarettes are twice as effective at getting people to quit smoking as traditional nicotine replacements such as the patch and gum. E-cigarettes caused a 50% increase in the rate of people using a product designed to help people quit smoking. <a href="/procon/vaping-debate#pcref-2256738-14">[14]</a><a href="/procon/vaping-debate#pcref-2256738-15">[15]</a><a href="/procon/vaping-debate#pcref-2256738-48">[48]</a></p><span class="marker MOD14 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD15 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">“Smokers who switch to vaping remove almost all the risks smoking poses to their health,” according to Peter Hajek, professor of clinical psychology at Queen Mary University London. <a href="/procon/vaping-debate#pcref-2256738-13">[13]</a></p><span class="marker MOD15 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD16 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Vaping has likely contributed to record low levels of youth cigarette smoking, which hit a record low of just 1.9% of high-school students in 2023, down from 19.8% in 2006 (the year e-cigarettes were introduced in the United States). <a href="/procon/vaping-debate#pcref-2256738-19">[19]</a><a href="/procon/vaping-debate#pcref-2256738-20">[20]</a><a href="/procon/vaping-debate#pcref-2256738-53">[53]</a><a href="/procon/vaping-debate#pcref-2256738-65">[65]</a></p><span class="marker MOD16 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD17 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Further, a report from Public Health England found no evidence that vaping is an entry into smoking traditional cigarettes for young people. <a href="/procon/vaping-debate#pcref-2256738-21">[21]</a></p><span class="marker MOD17 mod-inline"></span> </section><section class="pro" id="ref396126"> <h2 class="h2">Pro 2: Vaping is a safer way to ingest tobacco.</h2> <span class="marker PREMOD18 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">A U.K. government report stated that the “best estimates show e-cigarettes are 95% less harmful to your health than normal cigarettes.” <a href="/procon/vaping-debate#pcref-2256738-16">[16]</a></p><span class="marker MOD18 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD19 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">“Combustible cigarettes are the most harmful form of nicotine delivery,” according to Matthew Carpenter, co-director of the Tobacco Research Program at the Hollings Cancer Center. <a href="/procon/vaping-debate#pcref-2256738-17">[17]</a></p><span class="marker MOD19 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD20 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">E-cigarettes are safer for indoor use. Researchers found that the level of nicotine on surfaces in the homes of e-cigarette users was nearly 200 times lower than in the homes of traditional cigarette smokers. Nicotine left behind on surfaces can turn into carcinogens; the amount of nicotine found where vapers live was similar to the trace amounts in the homes of nonsmokers. <a href="/procon/vaping-debate#pcref-2256738-1">[1]</a><a href="/procon/vaping-debate#pcref-2256738-18">[18]</a></p><span class="marker MOD20 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD21 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Traditional cigarettes are known to cause health problems such as lung cancer, heart disease, and stroke. Worldwide, smoking is the top cause of preventable death, responsible for over seven million deaths each year. <a href="/procon/vaping-debate#pcref-2256738-10">[10]</a></p><span class="marker MOD21 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD22 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">The National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine found conclusive evidence that switching to e-cigarettes reduces exposure to toxicants and carcinogens. Burning a traditional cigarette releases noxious gases such as carbon monoxide. Cigarette smoke contains tar, which accounts for most of the carcinogens associated with smoking. E-cigarettes don’t have those gases or tar. <a href="/procon/vaping-debate#pcref-2256738-11">[11]</a><a href="/procon/vaping-debate#pcref-2256738-12">[12]</a></p><span class="marker MOD22 mod-inline"></span> </section><section class="pro" id="ref396127"> <h2 class="h2">Pro 3: E-cigarettes reduce health care costs, create jobs, and help the economy.</h2> <span class="marker PREMOD23 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">“Promoting electronic cigarettes to smokers should be a public health priority. Given that the direct medical costs of smoking are estimated to be more than $130 billion per year, along with $150 billion annually in productivity losses from premature deaths, getting more smokers to switch would result in significant cost savings — as well as almost half a million lives saved each year,” argues Sally Satel, a psychiatrist specializing in addiction and resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute. <a href="/procon/vaping-debate#pcref-2256738-22">[22]</a></p><span class="marker MOD23 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD24 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Grover Norquist and Paul Blair, both of Americans for Tax Reform, stated, “E-cigarettes and vapor products are the Uber of the product industry. They’re a disruptive and innovative technology…Thousands of good-paying jobs are being created by an industry that is probably going to save hundreds of thousands of lives.” <a href="/procon/vaping-debate#pcref-2256738-23">[23]</a></p><span class="marker MOD24 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD25 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Plus, the harm reduction from smokers switching to vaping could save $48 billion in annual Medicaid spending. <a href="/procon/vaping-debate#pcref-2256738-24">[24]</a></p><span class="marker MOD25 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD26 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Juul created more than 1,200 jobs just in 2018. A letter signed by a coalition of anti-regulation groups warned that efforts to limit the e-cigarette industry would destroy tens of thousands of jobs for manufacturers of the devices and the stores that sell them. <a href="/procon/vaping-debate#pcref-2256738-7">[7]</a><a href="/procon/vaping-debate#pcref-2256738-25">[25]</a></p><span class="marker MOD26 mod-inline"></span> </section></section><section id="ref396128"><div class="mb-15" id=""><h2 class="h1 d-inline-block mb-0">Con Arguments</h2> <a href="/procon/vaping-debate#ref396124">(Go to Pro Arguments)</a></div><section class="con" id="ref396129"> <h2 class="h2">Con 1: Vaping among kids is skyrocketing, addicting a new generation to nicotine and smoking.</h2> <span class="marker PREMOD27 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Marijuana vaping by teens doubled between 2013 and 2020, and the number of minors who stated they’d vaped marijuana in the past 30 days rose from 1.6% to 8.4% in the same time. <a href="/procon/vaping-debate#pcref-2256738-59">[59]</a></p><span class="marker MOD27 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD28 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Former U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams declared youth e-cigarette use an “epidemic,” noting a 900% increase in vaping by middle- and high-school students between 2011 and 2015. <a href="/procon/vaping-debate#pcref-2256738-2">[2]</a></p><span class="marker MOD28 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD29 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">As of 2023 10% of high-school students used e-cigarettes, the most-used tobacco product among the age group, followed by cigarettes (1.9%) and cigars (1.8%). Teens who use e-cigarettes are four times more likely to try regular cigarettes than their peers who never used tobacco, and 21.8% of youth cigarette use may be attributable to initiation through vaping. <a href="/procon/vaping-debate#pcref-2256738-26">[26]</a><a href="/procon/vaping-debate#pcref-2256738-53">[53]</a><a href="/procon/vaping-debate#pcref-2256738-65">[65]</a></p><span class="marker MOD29 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD30 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">“The tobacco industry is well aware that flavored tobacco products [such as e-cigarettes] appeal to youth and has taken advantage of this by marketing them in a wide range of fruit and candy flavors,” says Nancy Brown, CEO of the American Heart Association. <a href="/procon/vaping-debate#pcref-2256738-30">[30]</a></p><span class="marker MOD30 mod-inline"></span> </section><section class="con" id="ref396130"> <h2 class="h2">Con 2: Vaping causes serious health risks, including depression, lung disease, and stroke.</h2> <span class="marker PREMOD31 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Nicotine use by young people may increase the risk of addiction to other drugs and impair prefrontal brain development, which can lead to ADD and disrupt impulse control. Adult vapers are also more than twice as likely to be diagnosed as depressed than their non-vaping peers. <a href="/procon/vaping-debate#pcref-2256738-12">[12]</a><a href="/procon/vaping-debate#pcref-2256738-27">[27]</a><a href="/procon/vaping-debate#pcref-2256738-28">[28]</a><a href="/procon/vaping-debate#pcref-2256738-29">[29]</a><a href="/procon/vaping-debate#pcref-2256738-60">[60]</a></p><span class="marker MOD31 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD32 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">The CDC has confirmed six vaping-related deaths and over 450 possible cases of lung illness associated with e-cigarettes. People who use e-cigarettes have a 71% increased risk of stroke and 40% higher risk of heart disease, as compared to nonusers. Studies have shown that e-cigarettes can cause arterial stiffness and cardiovascular harm and may increase the odds of a heart attack by 42%. <a href="/procon/vaping-debate#pcref-2256738-31">[31]</a><a href="/procon/vaping-debate#pcref-2256738-32">[32]</a><a href="/procon/vaping-debate#pcref-2256738-33">[33]</a> <a href="/procon/vaping-debate#pcref-2256738-47">[47]</a></p><span class="marker MOD32 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD33 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Researchers who found increased risk of blood clots from e-cigarettes wrote, “These devices do emit considerable levels of toxicants, some of which are shared/overlap with tobacco smoking; and thus their harm should not be underestimated.” <a href="/procon/vaping-debate#pcref-2256738-33">[33]</a></p><span class="marker MOD33 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD34 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Scientists at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found that e-cigarettes leak toxic metals, possibly from the heating coils, that are associated with health problems such as kidney disease, respiratory irritation, shortness of breath, and more. <a href="/procon/vaping-debate#pcref-2256738-34">[34]</a></p><span class="marker MOD34 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD35 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Some ingredients in the liquids used in e-cigarettes change composition when they are heated, leading to inhalation of harmful compounds such as formaldehyde, which is carcinogenic. <a href="/procon/vaping-debate#pcref-2256738-35">[35]</a></p><span class="marker MOD35 mod-inline"></span> </section><section class="con" id="ref396131"> <h2 class="h2">Con 3: E-cigarettes can catch fire and even explode.</h2> <span class="marker PREMOD36 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">E-cigarette explosions have led to the loss of body parts (such as an eye, tongue, or tooth), third-degree burns, holes in the roof of the mouth, and death. <a href="/procon/vaping-debate#pcref-2256738-36">[36]</a></p><span class="marker MOD36 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD37 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Researchers at George Mason University found that 2,035 people sought emergency room treatment for burn or explosion injuries from e-cigarettes between 2015 and 2017 and believe there were more injuries that went untreated. They also found more than 40 times the number of injuries reported by the FDA between 2009 and 2015. <a href="/procon/vaping-debate#pcref-2256738-36">[36]</a><a href="/procon/vaping-debate#pcref-2256738-37">[37]</a></p><span class="marker MOD37 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD38 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Airlines prohibit e-cigarettes in checked baggage due to the possibility of their lithium batteries catching fire. In Jan. 2019 a passenger’s e-cigarette overheated and caught fire in the airplane cabin. That same month, a Texas man died when debris from an e-cigarette explosion tore his carotid artery. In 2018 a man in Florida was killed by shrapnel from his e-cigarette exploding. <a href="/procon/vaping-debate#pcref-2256738-38">[38]</a><a href="/procon/vaping-debate#pcref-2256738-39">[39]</a><a href="/procon/vaping-debate#pcref-2256738-40">[40]</a></p><span class="marker MOD38 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD39 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">The U.S. Fire Administration (USFA) found 195 reports of e-cigarette explosions and fires including 133 acute injuries, of which 29% were severe. The USFA stated, “No other consumer product that is typically used so close to the human body contains the lithium-ion battery that is the root cause of the incidents.” <a href="/procon/vaping-debate#pcref-2256738-41">[41]</a></p><span class="marker MOD39 mod-inline"></span> </section></section><span class="marker h4"></span><section data-level="1" id="ref396132"> <h2 class="h1">Discussion Questions</h2> <ol><li><div>Is vaping safe? Explain your answer.</div></li><li><div>Should vaping restrictions or prohibitions be placed on teens? Why or why not?</div></li><li><div>While this article focuses on nicotine e-cigarettes, consider the safety of marijuana vaping.</div></li></ol> </section><span class="marker h5"></span><section data-level="1" class="takeaction" id="ref396133"> <h2 class="h1">Take Action</h2> <ol><li><div>Consider <a class="external" target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="https://casaa.org/education/vaping/" data-show-preview="true">Consumer Advocates for Smoke-free Alternatives Association’s</a> take on vaping as a cigarette alternative.</div></li><li><div>Learn about <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/e-cigarette" class="md-crosslink takeaction" data-show-preview="true">e-cigarettes</a> at <em>Encyclopædia Britannica</em>.</div></li><li><div>Analyze the science of vaping at the <a class="external" target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="https://www.heart.org/-/media/files/healthy-living/smoking-and-vaping/vaping-science-explainer.pdf?la=en&hash=96EEB77AFA04B0B9F2B2EE873E71B6B89A6262B8" data-show-preview="true">American Heart Association</a>.</div></li><li><div>Consider how you felt about the issue before reading this article. After reading the pros and cons on this topic, has your thinking changed? If so, how? List two to three ways. If your thoughts have not changed, list two to three ways your better understanding of the “other side of the issue” now helps you better argue your position.</div></li><li><div>Push for the position and policies you support by writing U.S. <a class="external" target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="https://www.senate.gov/senators/index.htm" data-show-preview="true">senators</a> and <a class="external" target="_blank" rel="noopener" href="https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative" data-show-preview="true">representatives</a>.</div></li></ol> </section><section class="sources" id="ref396134"><h2 class="h1">Sources</h2><div class="sources"><ol><li class="marker" id="pcref-2256738-1">Lisa Rapaport, “Almost One in 20 U.S. Adults Now Use E-cigarettes,” reuters.com, Aug. 27, 2018</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2256738-2">Jerome Adams, “Surgeon General’s Advisory on E-cigarette Use Among Youth,” e-cigarettes.surgeongeneral.gov, Jan. 10, 2019</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2256738-3">National Institute on Drug Abuse, “Electronic Cigarettes (E-cigarettes),” drugabuse.gov, June 2018</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2256738-4">Lori Higgins, “Your Kids Think It’s Cool to Vape at School. It’s a Big Problem.,” freep.com, Sep. 25, 2018</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2256738-5">NBC News, “Vaping 101: How Do E-cigarettes Work?,” nbcnews.com, Apr. 24, 2014</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2256738-6">FDA, “The Facts on the FDA’s New Tobacco Rule,” fda.gov, Nov. 9, 2017</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2256738-7">Richard Craver, “FDA Scrutiny of Juul Not Affecting Dominant Market Share,” journalnow.com, Jan. 23, 2019</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2256738-8">Richard Craver, “Juul Market Share Slips following Removal of Fruity-flavored E-cigs,” journalnow.com, Feb. 5, 2019</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2256738-9">Angelica LaVito, “FDA Chief Accuses Juul, Altria of Reneging on Promise to Combat ‘Epidemic’ Teen Vaping Use,” usatoday.com, Feb. 8, 2019</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2256738-10">CDC, “Smoking & Tobacco Use,” cdc.gov, Feb. 6, 2019</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2256738-11">National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine, “Public Health Consequences of E-cigarettes,” nap.edu, 2018</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2256738-12">John Ross, “E-cigarettes: Good News, Bad News,” health.harvard.edu, July 25, 2016</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2256738-13">James Meikle, “Vaping: E-cigarettes Safer Than Smoking, Says Public Health England,” theguardian.com, Aug. 19, 2015</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2256738-14">Peter Hajek et al., “A Randomized Trial of E-cigarettes versus Nicotine-Replacement Therapy,” <em>New England Journal of Medicine</em>, Jan. 30, 2019</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2256738-15">Yue-Lin Zhuang et al., “Long-term E-cigarette Use and Smoking Cessation: A Longitudinal Study with U.S. Population,” <em>Tobacco Control</em>, 2016</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2256738-16">Public Health England, “E-cigarettes around 95% Less Harmful Than Tobacco Estimates Landmark Review,” gov.uk, Aug. 19, 2015</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2256738-17">Medical University of South Carolina, “Can E-cigarettes Help Smokers Quit? Study Finds Smokers Who Are Willing to Use E-cigarettes Tend to Smoke Less and Increase Their Quit Attempts,” sciencedaily.com, Dec. 29, 2017</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2256738-18">D. Bush and M.L. Goniewicz, “A Pilot Study on Nicotine Residues in Houses of Electronic Cigarette Users, Tobacco Smokers, and Non-users of Nicotine-Containing Products,” <em>International Journal of Drug Policy</em>, June 2015</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2256738-19">Matthew L. Myers, “New U.S. Survey Shows Youth Cigarette Smoking Is at Record Lows, but E-cigarettes and Cigars Threaten Progress,” tobaccofreekids.org, June 7, 2018</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2256738-20">David Nutt, “Vaping Saves Lives. It’d Be Madness to Ban It,” theguardian.com, Oct. 14, 2016</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2256738-21">Martin Dockrell, “Clearing up Some Myths Around E-cigarettes,” publichealthmatters.blog.gov.uk, Feb. 20, 2018</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2256738-22">Sally Satel, “How E-cigarettes Could Save Lives,” washingtonpost.com, Feb. 14, 2014</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2256738-23">Grover Norquist and Paul Blair, “Vaping for Tax Freedom,” nationalreview.com, Oct. 15, 2014</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2256738-24">J. Scott Moody, “E-cigarettes Poised to Save Medicaid Billions,” tobacco.ucsf.edu, Mar. 31, 2015</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2256738-25">Grover Norquist et al., “Coalition Urges President Trump to Halt Regulatory Assault on Innovative Electronic Cigarette Industry,” atr.org, Feb. 4, 2019</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2256738-26">Kaitlyn M. Berry et al., “Association of Electronic Cigarette Use with Subsequent Initiation of Tobacco Cigarettes in US Youths,” <em>JAMA Network Open</em>, Feb. 1, 2019</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2256738-27">American Lung Association, “E-cigarettes, ‘Vapes’ and JUULs: What Parents Should Know,” lung.org, Jan. 24, 2019</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2256738-28">Juul, “FAQS: JUULpod Basics,” support.juul.com (accessed Feb. 15, 2019)</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2256738-29">Juul, “JUUL Savings Calculator,” juul.com (accessed Feb. 15, 2019)</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2256738-30">Maggie Fox, “Vaping, Juuling Are the New Smoking for High School Kids,” nbcnews.com, June 7, 2018</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2256738-31">Dennis Thompson, “Vaping Tied to Rise in Stroke, Heart Attack Risk,” consumer.healthday.com, Jan. 30, 2019</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2256738-32">Paul M. Ndunda and Tabitha M. Muutu, “Abstract 9 – Electronic Cigarette Use Is Associated with a Higher Risk of Stroke,” abstractsonline.com, Feb. 6, 2019</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2256738-33">Hanan Qasim Zubair et al., “Short-Term E-cigarette Exposure Increases the Risk of Thrombogenesis and Enhances Platelet Function in Mice,” <em>Journal of the American Heart Association</em>, Aug. 2018</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2256738-34">Pablo Olmedo et al., “Metal Concentrations in E-cigarette Liquid and Aerosol Samples: The Contribution of Metallic Coils,” Environmental Health Perspectives, Feb. 21, 2018</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2256738-35">Otmar Geiss, Ivana Bianchi, and Josefa Barrero-Moreno, “Correlation of Volatile Carbonyl Yields Emitted by E-cigarettes with the Temperature of the Heating Coil and the Perceived Sensorial Quality of the Generated Vapours,” <em>International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health</em>, May 2016</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2256738-36">Matthew Rossheim et al., “Electronic Cigarette Explosion and Burn Injuries, US Emergency Departments 2015–2017,” Tobacco Control, Sep. 2018</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2256738-37">Mary Lee Clark, “Mason Report Finds E-cigarette Explosions, Injuries Are More Common Than Previously Thought,” gmu.edu, Sep. 28, 2018</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2256738-38">Rasha Ali, “E-cigarette Battery Ignites Fire on American Airlines Flight from Las Vegas to Chicago,” usatoday.com, Jan. 6, 2019</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2256738-39">David Williams, “A Man Dies after His E-cigarette Explodes in His Face,” cnn.com, Feb. 5, 2019</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2256738-40">Eli Rosenberg, “Exploding Vape Pen Caused Florida Man’s Death, Autopsy Says,” washingtonpost.com, May 17, 2018</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2256738-41">Lawrence A. McKenna, Jr., “Electronic Cigarette Fires and Explosions in the United States 2009 – 2016,” usfa.fema.gov, July 2017</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2256738-42">CDC, “About Electronic Cigarettes (E-cigarettes),” cdc.gov, Nov. 29, 2018</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2256738-43">FDA, “Vaporizers, E-cigarettes, and Other Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (Ends),” fda.gov, Feb. 5, 2019</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2256738-44">Blanca Myers, “What’s Inside Vape Juice?,” wired.co.uk, Apr. 25, 2017</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2256738-45">Veppo, “What Is E-juice or Vape Juice?,” veppocig.com (accessed Feb. 15, 2019)</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2256738-46">Richard Harris and Carmel Wroth, “FDA to Banish Flavored E-cigarettes to Combat Youth Vaping,” npr.org, Sep. 11, 2019</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2256738-47">CDC, “Outbreak of Lung Illness Associated with Using E-cigarette Products,” cdc.gov, Sep. 11, 2019</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2256738-48">Lisa Rapaport, “Vaping May Aid Smoking Cessation but Also Boost Relapse Risk,” physiciansweekly.com, July 15, 2019</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2256738-49">Virginia Langmaid, "FDA Chief Stays Mum on Plans for Banning Flavored Vapes," cnn.com, June 23, 2021</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2256738-50">Grand View Research, "E-cigarette and Vape Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report by Distribution Channel (Online, Retail), by Product (Disposable, Rechargeable), by Component, by Region, and Segment Forecasts, 2021 - 2028," grandviewresearch.com, May 2021</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2256738-51">Sheila Kaplan, “Juul Is Fighting to Keep Its E-cigarettes on the U.S. Market,” nytimes.com, July 5, 2021</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2256738-52">Maria A. Villarroel, Amy E. Cha, and Anjel Vahratian, “Electronic Cigarette Use Among U.S. Adults, 2018,” cdc.gov, Apr. 2020</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2256738-53">CDC, “Youth and Tobacco Use,” cdc.gov, Dec. 16, 2020</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2256738-54">Megan Brenan, “Smoking and Vaping Remain Steady and Low in U.S.,” gallup.com, Aug, 12, 2021</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2256738-55">Janet Woodcock and Mitch Zeller, “FDA Makes Significant Progress in Science-Based Public Health Application Review, Taking Action on over 90% of More Than 6.5 Million ‘Deemed’ New Tobacco Products Submitted,” fda.gov, Sep. 9, 2021</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2256738-56">Jacqueline Howard, “FDA Takes More Time to Decide on E-cigarettes,” cnn.com, Sep. 9, 2021</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2256738-57">Mitch Zeller, “Perspective: FDA’s Preparations for the September 9 Submission Deadline,” fda.gov, Aug. 31, 2020</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2256738-58">Matt Richtel and Sheila Kaplan, “F.D.A. Authorizes E-cigarettes to Stay on U.S. Market for the First Time,” nytimes.com, Oct. 13, 2021</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2256738-59">Vanessa Romo, “Marijuana Vaping among Teens Has More Than Doubled since 2013,” npr.org, Oct. 25, 2021</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2256738-60">Olufunmilayo H. Obisesan, Mohammadhassan Mirbolouk, and Albert D. Osei, “Association Between E-cigarette Use and Depression in the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2016-2017,” jamanetwork.com, Dec. 4, 2019</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2256738-61">Carma Hassan, “FDA Orders Juul Labs to Remove Products from U.S. Market,” cnn.com, June 23, 2022</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2256738-62">Associated Press, “Juul Can Keep Selling Its Vaping Products in the U.S. — for Now,” npr.org, June 24, 2022</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2256738-63">Christina Jewett, “Juul Settles Multistate Youth Vaping Inquiry for $438.5 Million,” nytimes.com, Sep. 6, 2022</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2256738-64">Christal Hayes, “US reverses ban on Juul vaping products,” bbc.com, June 6, 2024; Michael Levenson, “F.D.A. Authorizes First Menthol-Flavored E-cigarettes,” nytimes.com, June 21, 2024</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2256738-65">CDC, “Youth and Tobacco Use,” cdc.gov, Nov. 2, 2023</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2256738-66">Sarah E. Jackson, Martin J. Jarvis, and Robert West, “The Price of a Cigarette: 20 Minutes of Life?,” <em>Addiction</em>, onlinelibrary.wiley.com, Dec. 29, 2024</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2256738-67">Associated Press, “Belgium Will Ban Sales of Disposable E-Cigarettes in a First for the EU,” npr.org, Dec. 29, 2024</li><li class="marker" id="pcref-2256738-68">Amy Howe, “Justices Hear FDA Case on Flavored Vapes,” scotusblog.com, Dec. 2, 2024</li></ol></div></section></div> <div id="chatbot-simplify-root"></div> <div id="chatbot-root"></div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="ai-dialog-placeholder"></div> </div> </div> <aside class="col-md-da-320"></aside> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> </div> </div> </div> </main> <div id="md-footer"></div> <noscript><iframe src="//www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-5W6NC8" height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibility:hidden"></iframe></noscript> <script type="text/javascript" id="_informizely_script_tag"> var IzWidget = IzWidget || {}; (function (d) { var scriptElement = d.createElement('script'); scriptElement.type = 'text/javascript'; scriptElement.async = true; scriptElement.src = "https://insitez.blob.core.windows.net/site/f780f33e-a610-4ac2-af81-3eb184037547.js"; var node = d.getElementById('_informizely_script_tag'); node.parentNode.insertBefore(scriptElement, node); } )(document); </script>  <script> window.ap3c = window.ap3c || {}; var ap3c = window.ap3c; ap3c.cmd = ap3c.cmd || []; ap3c.cmd.push(function() { ap3c.init('ZO4siT4cLwnykPnzZWJtd3Byb2Q', 'https://engage.email.britannica.com/'); ap3c.track({v: 0}); }); ap3c.activity = function(act) { ap3c.act = (ap3c.act || []); ap3c.act.push(act); }; var s, t; s = document.createElement('script'); s.type = 'text/javascript'; s.src = "https://engage.email.britannica.com/app.js"; t = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; t.parentNode.insertBefore(s, t); </script> <script class="marketing-page-info" type="application/json"> {"pageType":"Topic","templateName":"PROCON","pageNumber":1,"pagesTotal":1,"pageId":2256738,"pageLength":3309,"initialLoad":true,"lastPageOfScroll":false} </script> <script class="marketing-content-info" type="application/json"> [] </script> <script src="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-133/js/libs/jquery-3.5.0.min.js?v=3.133.36"></script> <script type="text/javascript" data-type="Init Mendel Code Splitting"> (function() { $.ajax({ dataType: 'script', cache: true, url: 'https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-133/dist/topic-page.js?v=3.133.36' }); })(); </script> <script class="analytics-metadata" type="application/json"> {"leg":"A","adLeg":"A","userType":"ANONYMOUS","pageType":"Topic","pageSubtype":null,"articleTemplateType":"LARGE","gisted":false,"pageNumber":1,"hasSummarizeButton":false,"hasAskButton":true} </script> <script type="text/javascript"> EBStat={accountId:-1,hostnameOverride:'webstats.eb.com',domain:'www.britannica.com', json:''}; </script> <script type="text/javascript"> ( function() { $.ajax( { dataType: 'script', cache: true, url: '//www.britannica.com/webstats/mendelstats.js?v=1' } ) .done( function() { try {writeStat(null,EBStat);} catch(err){} } ); })(); </script> <div id="bc-fixed-dialogue"></div> </body> </html>

CINXE.COM

Vaping | Safety, Smoking, Dangers, Pros, Cons, Debate, E-cigarettes, & Tobacco | Britannica