So you swapped in your smokes for a vape, certain that it was far less dangerous than smoking. However, a troubling new study finds that vaping, even when nicotine-free, might impair vascular function, raising the risk of heart disease and circulation problems.

Traditional cigarettes contain thousands of potentially hazardous compounds, tar, and carcinogens. Although vaping eliminates many of these pollutants, there is growing doubt about the complete safety of zero-nicotine vapes. According to a new study, if you have never smoked, using a vape, even a nicotine-free one, puts your health in danger.

Researchers investigated the impact of nicotine-free vaping against conventional vaping and even traditional cigarettes. But, before we get into the surprising results, let’s go over some fundamental vaping facts.

What is vaping?

E-cigarettes, often known as vapes, are battery-powered devices that heat a liquid and produce an aerosol (or vapor) that users inhale. Unlike traditional cigarettes, which burn tobacco and emit hundreds of hazardous chemicals, vapes create no smoke or tar, leading many consumers to believe they are a safer choice.

The Juice

E-liquid, often known as vape juice, is a combination of propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin, which produce the thick vapor that users exhale. Although these compounds are safe for consumption, inhaling them poses a risk.

When heated, these chemicals degrade into toxic metabolites that can irritate the lungs and airways, potentially resulting in

Chronic coughing
Shortness of breath
Lung inflammation
Delicious tastes

The scents that make vaping so appealing—whether fruity, minty, or dessert-like—frequently contain hazardous substances. Some of these substances are

Popcorn lung, a dangerous lung illness, is associated with diacetyl.
Benzaldehyde: A popular flavoring that can irritate the respiratory system.
Heavy Metals: Vape coils may leak trace levels of lead, nickel, and tin into the smoke.
Even without nicotine, breathing these compounds over time can result in lung damage and inflammation.

“You’re exposing yourself to all kinds of chemicals that we don’t yet understand and which are probably not safe,” Dr. Michael Blaha told John Hopkins Medicine.

Popular habit

According to Johns Hopkins, more than 2 million middle and high school children in the United States will use e-cigarettes in 2021, with more than 8 in 10 smoking flavored e-cigarettes.

“What I find most concerning about the rise of vaping is that people who would’ve never smoked otherwise, especially youth, are taking up the habit,” Blaha told reporters. “It’s one thing to switch from cigarette smoking to vaping. Starting nicotine consumption through vaping is a completely different matter. Furthermore, becoming addicted to nicotine frequently leads to later use of traditional tobacco products.

Shocking results

The researchers from the 2024 study wanted to determine if the basic liquids and flavoring compounds used in vaping may still have detrimental health impacts.

Researchers compared

Nicotine-free vaporizers
Nicotine-containing vape
Traditional cigarettes

Surprisingly, all three exhibited demonstrable detrimental impacts on blood vessel function, indicating that nicotine isn’t the sole danger factor when it comes to vaping.

In particular, the research claims that “the decrease in vascular function was most pronounced after inhalation of e-cigarettes containing nicotine, followed by e-cigarettes without nicotine.” According to Dr. Marianna Nabbout, “This study serves to highlight the acute effects that smoking and vaping can have on a multitude of vascular beds in the human body.”

Particularly, “If the acute consumption of an e-cigarette can have an effect that is immediately manifested at the level of the vessels, it is conceivable that the chronic use can cause vascular disease.” If you thought vaping was safer than smoking, this new study may change your mind!

What are your opinions about vaping? Please tell us what you think and share this story so that others are aware of the health hazards associated with vaping!