What Is Vaping?
When you vape, you use an electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) or other device to inhale mist. The mist isn't just water — it contains flavorings and chemicals such as nicotine. The mix in your vaping device also might contain marijuana, herbs, or oils.
E-cigarettes or vape pens are powered by batteries. The batteries heat the liquid inside until it becomes a mist.
Some vape pens are for one-time use only. You throw them away when the battery dies or the liquid is gone. Others are rechargeable, meaning you can refill them and use them again. The mix you put in your vape pen might come as a cartridge, or you might buy a container of liquid to refill it.
Does vaping cause lung cancer? Here's what you need to know.
What Happens to Your Body during Vaping?
The way vaping works is similar to nebulizer treatments you might receive for asthma or another lung condition. A nebulizer is an effective way to deliver medicine directly to your lungs.
But when you vape, you're not inhaling medicine. You're coating your lungs in chemicals that aren't beneficial.
The contents of your vape, sometimes called vape juice or e-liquid, are contained in an oily base. Manufacturers may add vitamin E to the oil to thicken it. Although vitamin E is safe as a supplement you swallow or apply to your skin, it may irritate your lungs when you breathe it in.
It's not just vitamin E that may irritate your lungs. Other chemicals in vapes that can harm your lungs include:
Diacetyl. Manufacturers put this food additive in vape pens to make the flavor more vibrant. But inhaling diacetyl can damage the small passageways in your lungs.
Formaldehyde. This chemical is used as a disinfectant. It's also used in labs and funeral homes to preserve tissue. When you breathe it in, it can damage your lungs and contribute to heart disease.
Acrolein. This substance is used to make weed killers and pesticides. It can damage your lungs if you breathe it in.
Studies also show that flavorings like cinnamon can cause inflammation of lung cells.
More research is needed to understand the long-term health risks of vaping.
Does Vaping Cause Lung Cancer?
Vaping puts nicotine into your lungs and bloodstream without the smoke and tar of a regular cigarette.Vaping is less harmful than smoking. But that doesn't mean there's no cancer risk.
When you have cancer, cells in your body keep dividing and multiplying when they shouldn't. Cell division is a normal thing, but when you have cancer, these cells lack the "off" switch that tells them when to stop. That's because the cells have changed, or mutated. Cells that keep replicating themselves create tumors.
Your genes may play a role in lung cancer. But smoking and exposure to cancer-causing chemicals are key factors.
Chemicals that are known to cause cancer are called carcinogens. Among the carcinogens vaping can expose you to are:
- Formaldehyde
- Benzene
- Heavy metals
The levels are usually lower in e-cigarettes than in regular cigarettes. But some studies show that high-voltage e-cigarettes have more formaldehyde and other toxins than standard e-cigarettes.
Research also has found that vaping damages your DNA, similar to the way smoking does.
Because vaping is relatively new, researchers don't have solid evidence that vaping causes lung cancer. But scientists believe it's a possibility.
Can Secondhand Vaping Cause Lung Cancer?
Researchers don't know enough yet about links between vaping and lung cancer to say whether secondhand exposure is a risk.
They do know, however, that when you're around someone who's vaping, you're exposed to nicotine and other chemicals. Studies show that exposure to vaping isn't safe when you're pregnant.
How Else Can Vaping Affect Your Lungs?
Vaping can harm your lungs in many ways.
Popcorn lung
Diacetyl has been linked to a serious lung disease called bronchiolitis obliterans. It's also known as popcorn lung.
The disease gets its name because people working in a microwave popcorn factory got sick with serious lung problems from breathing in diacetyl.
Diacetyl scars the tiny air sacs in your lungs. That makes your airways thick and narrow. There's no cure for popcorn lung, but some medications can help keep it from getting worse.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
Studies have linked vaping to COPD. Symptoms of COPD include shortness of breath and chest tightness. It's a progressive illness, and as it gets worse, you may find day-to-day activities hard.
Asthma
Vaping can raise your risk of asthma, and if you already have asthma, it can make your symptoms worse. The more you vape, the greater the risk.
Chronic lung inflammation
When you vape, you inhale some small particles. These can lodge in your lungs, inflaming and irritating your lungs. Chronic lung inflammation is known to raise the risk of lung cancer, even among people who never smoked.
EVALI
This acronym stands for "e-cigarette, or vaping, product use-associated lung injury." You'll have symptoms such as coughing and shortness of breath. EVALI can be fatal.
Lipoid pneumonia
Pneumonia is usually caused by a viral or bacterial infection. This type of pneumonia happens when fatty acids build up in your lungs. When you vape, you inhale oily substances into your lungs, which causes inflammation. Symptoms include coughing, shortness of breath, and bringing up blood or bloody mucus. Treatment options are limited. You'll just have to wait for your your lungs heal.
How to Lower Your Lung Cancer Risk
The most important thing you can do to lower your lung cancer risk is this: don't smoke. Experts estimate that about 80% of lung cancer deaths are related to smoking.
Other steps you can take to lower your risk:
- If you smoke, quit. Resources and medication are available to help you.
- Avoid secondhand smoke.
- Test your home for radon and reduce the level if it's too high.
- Take precautions if your work exposes you to substances such as asbestos, diesel exhaust, radioactive ores, or inhaled chemicals.
Although any links between vaping and lung cancer aren't clear at this point, you can prevent damage to your lungs by avoiding vaping and being around people who vape.
Takeaways
Vaping is a relatively new habit, so researchers don't have complete information yet on the health effects. Does vaping cause lung cancer? Scientists can't say for sure at this point. But studies show that vaping can cause lung problems such as COPD, asthma, and a specific type of pneumonia. We also know that vaping can cause chronic lung inflammation, which is one risk factor for lung cancer.
Vaping and Lung Cancer FAQs
Is vaping harmful to your health?
Yes. Although you're avoiding some of the harmful substances that smoking exposes you to, you're still filling your lungs with dangerous chemicals. Vaping is linked to asthma, COPD, and a condition called "popcorn lung," among other conditions.
Can I carry a vape pen on a flight?
Yes, but you can't use it or charge it. Vape devices have to go in your carry-on bag, not checked luggage, because the batteries pose a fire risk. Vape devices were the No. 1 cause of lithium battery incidents on planes in 2022.
Has anyone gotten lung cancer from vaping?
Scientists don't have enough information to answer this question. However, vaping damages your lungs, and certain types of lung problems raise your risk of cancer.
How do you vape safely?
There's no such thing as vaping safely. When you vape, you expose your lungs with chemicals that can cause damage.
