So, you swapped your cigarettes for a vape, thinking it’s a much safer choice. But a startling new study suggests that even nicotine-free vaping can harm your vascular system, potentially increasing the risk of heart disease and circulatory problems.

Traditional cigarettes are packed with thousands of toxic chemicals, tar, and carcinogens. While vaping eliminates many of these harmful substances, new research is challenging the belief that nicotine-free vapes are completely harmless.

If you’ve never smoked before, picking up a vape—even one without nicotine—may introduce unnecessary health risks. A recent study compares the effects of nicotine-free vaping to traditional cigarettes, revealing some shocking results.

What Exactly Is Vaping?

E-cigarettes, commonly called vapes, are battery-operated devices that heat a liquid to create an aerosol (or vapor) that users inhale. Unlike traditional cigarettes, which burn tobacco and release thousands of harmful chemicals, vapes don’t produce smoke or tar. Because of this, many believe they are a safer alternative—but that assumption is now being questioned.

What’s in Vape Juice?

E-liquid, or vape juice, is made of propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin, which create the thick vapor users exhale. While these substances are safe when ingested in food, inhaling them is another story. When heated, they break down into harmful byproducts that can cause:

• Chronic coughing
• Shortness of breath
• Lung inflammation

The Hidden Dangers of Vape Flavors

Flavored e-cigarettes are one of the biggest appeals of vaping, offering sweet, fruity, or minty tastes. However, many of these flavors contain toxic chemicals, including:

• Diacetyl: A chemical linked to a severe lung condition known as popcorn lung.
• Benzaldehyde: A common flavoring agent that can irritate the respiratory system.
• Heavy metals: Vape coils may release trace amounts of lead, nickel, and tin, which users inhale with each puff.

Even without nicotine, inhaling these chemicals regularly can damage lung tissue and cause inflammation.

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

The Rise of Vaping

Vaping is becoming more popular, particularly among young people. According to John Hopkins, more than 2 million U.S. middle and high school students used e-cigarettes in 2021, with over 80% choosing flavored vapes.

Dr. Blaha expresses concern over this trend, stating, “What I find most troubling is that people who would have never smoked otherwise, especially youth, are picking up the habit. Transitioning from cigarettes to vaping is one thing, but starting nicotine use through vaping can often lead to traditional tobacco products down the road.”

The Study’s Shocking Findings

Researchers in 2024 wanted to determine if the base liquids and flavoring agents in vapes had negative health effects, even in nicotine-free versions. To do so, they compared:

• Nicotine-free vapes
• Nicotine-containing vapes
• Traditional cigarettes

Surprisingly, all three had measurable negative effects on blood vessel function. This suggests that nicotine isn’t the only factor contributing to vaping’s health risks.

The study found that “the decrease in vascular function was most pronounced after inhaling e-cigarettes with nicotine, followed by e-cigarettes without nicotine.”

According to lead researcher Dr. Marianna Nabbout, “This study highlights the acute effects that smoking and vaping can have on multiple vascular systems in the human body.” More concerning, she notes, “If inhaling an e-cigarette even once can immediately impact blood vessels, chronic use could very well lead to vascular disease.”

Should You Reconsider Vaping?

If you’ve been vaping under the assumption that it’s a safe alternative to smoking, this new research may make you think twice. Even without nicotine, vaping can negatively impact your vascular health and expose you to harmful chemicals.

What are your thoughts on vaping? Let us know in the comments and share this article to spread awareness about the risks associated with e-cigarettes!