Adults only (18+)

Has Anyone Gotten Lung Cancer from Vaping

Since vaping became popular as a harm-reduction alternative to smoking, one of the most common and serious concerns has been whether it can cause lung cancer. Many people want to know if anyone has actually developed lung cancer from vaping, or whether the risks are purely theoretical. The evidence available so far suggests that there have been no confirmed cases of lung cancer directly caused by vaping alone. However, research is still ongoing, and scientists continue to study the long-term effects because e-cigarettes have not been around long enough to assess lifetime cancer risks.

Understanding the Difference Between Smoking and Vaping

To understand why vaping is less likely to cause lung cancer than smoking, it helps to look at how the two differ. Smoking involves burning tobacco, which creates smoke containing over 7,000 chemicals, including at least 70 known carcinogens such as tar, benzene, and formaldehyde. These carcinogens damage cells in the lungs and airways over time, leading to genetic mutations that can cause cancer.

Vaping, on the other hand, does not involve combustion. E-cigarettes heat a liquid (known as e-liquid or vape juice) that usually contains propylene glycol, vegetable glycerine, flavourings, and nicotine. The vapour produced contains far fewer chemicals than tobacco smoke, and most of the cancer-causing substances found in cigarettes are either absent or present only in trace amounts.

This key difference is why health organisations such as Public Health England and the NHS have consistently stated that vaping is significantly less harmful than smoking. However, less harmful does not necessarily mean risk-free, especially when used over many years.

Have There Been Any Documented Cases of Lung Cancer from Vaping

As of now, there have been no verified medical cases of lung cancer directly attributed to vaping in people who have never smoked. Most long-term studies and clinical reports find no clear evidence linking e-cigarette use to cancer development. However, it is important to note that vaping has only been widely used for about 15 years, while lung cancer from smoking typically develops after decades of exposure.

Researchers continue to monitor vapers for potential long-term effects, but so far, the absence of tar and most carcinogens in vapour makes it unlikely that vaping alone could cause the same level of lung cell damage seen in smokers.

When lung-related illnesses have been reported among vapers, they have typically been linked to unregulated or illicit products, particularly those containing THC oils or vitamin E acetate. These substances are not found in regulated nicotine vaping products sold legally in the UK and Europe.

How Cancer Develops in the Lungs

Lung cancer develops when cells in the lungs undergo mutations that cause them to grow uncontrollably. In smokers, this is usually due to years of exposure to carcinogenic compounds from burning tobacco. These compounds damage the DNA inside lung cells, triggering changes that eventually form tumours.

Because vaping does not produce tar or carbon monoxide and contains far fewer carcinogens, the process that leads to these cellular changes is much less likely to occur. Studies that have examined vapour exposure in laboratory settings show far less DNA damage and oxidative stress compared with cigarette smoke.

Nicotine and Cancer Risk

One common misconception is that nicotine itself causes cancer. While nicotine is addictive and affects the cardiovascular system, it is not classified as a carcinogen. The danger in smoking comes not from nicotine but from the thousands of chemicals produced when tobacco burns.

Nicotine in e-liquids provides the familiar throat hit and satisfaction that helps smokers transition away from cigarettes, but it does not cause lung cell mutations or promote cancer formation. However, because nicotine constricts blood vessels and affects heart rate, it can have other health impacts that are unrelated to cancer risk.

What Studies Have Found About Vaping and Lung Health

Research so far indicates that vaping has far fewer harmful effects on the lungs than smoking. Studies have shown that after smokers switch to vaping, lung function often improves, coughing decreases, and exposure to harmful toxins drops significantly. However, mild airway irritation and inflammation can still occur, particularly among people who use high nicotine concentrations or vape frequently.

A 2020 review by the Royal College of Physicians found that while vaping is not risk-free, the long-term risk of cancer from e-cigarettes is likely to be less than 5% of that associated with smoking. Ongoing studies are tracking the health of long-term vapers to see whether any changes develop over time, but to date, no evidence of vaping-induced lung cancer has emerged.

Vaping-Related Lung Injuries and Misconceptions

In 2019, the United States experienced an outbreak of a lung condition known as EVALI (E-cigarette or Vaping Product Use-Associated Lung Injury). This raised concerns that vaping was causing severe respiratory damage. However, investigations by the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that nearly all cases were linked to black-market vaping products containing THC and vitamin E acetate.

These unregulated substances caused an inflammatory reaction in the lungs, but they were never present in legal nicotine-containing e-liquids. UK vaping products are tightly regulated under the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations (TRPR), which prohibit harmful ingredients like vitamin E acetate, diacetyl, and certain flavouring chemicals.

Because of these strict controls, similar lung injury cases have not occurred among users of legally sold nicotine vaping products in the UK.

Vaping as a Harm Reduction Tool

For smokers, switching to vaping significantly reduces exposure to carcinogens and toxic gases. This reduction in exposure is the main reason vaping is promoted as a harm reduction tool rather than a harmless product. By providing nicotine without combustion, vaping allows smokers to manage cravings while avoiding the cancer-causing compounds in tobacco smoke.

Public Health England and the NHS both recommend vaping as one of the most effective ways for adult smokers to quit cigarettes. According to UK data, those who use vaping alongside behavioural support are more likely to stop smoking successfully than those using nicotine replacement therapy alone.

Why Long-Term Research Is Still Needed

Although no one has been confirmed to have developed lung cancer from vaping, long-term data is still limited. Most cancers take decades to develop, and because widespread vaping began only in the early 2010s, it will take many more years of observation to determine the full lifetime risk.

Scientists continue to study the effects of repeated vapour exposure on lung tissue. So far, evidence shows that while vaping may cause mild inflammation or irritation, it does not produce the same levels of DNA damage or cellular mutation associated with smoking.

The biggest unknowns concern how chronic exposure to small quantities of flavouring chemicals or trace metals might affect the lungs over decades. This is why most public health experts describe vaping as “much less harmful” rather than “completely safe.”

Reducing Potential Risks When Vaping

Although the cancer risk from vaping appears to be extremely low, users can further reduce it by following a few key practices. Always buy vape products from reputable retailers that comply with UK regulations. Avoid using homemade or black-market e-liquids, as these may contain harmful or untested ingredients.

Keeping devices clean and using e-liquids from trusted brands helps prevent exposure to impurities or residues. Choosing e-liquids with moderate nicotine levels and avoiding excessive vaping also minimises unnecessary irritation.

Quitting vaping entirely, once nicotine dependence is managed, remains the healthiest long-term option. However, for those switching from cigarettes, vaping remains a far safer alternative.

Comparing Lung Cancer Risk Between Vaping and Smoking

The risk difference between smoking and vaping is striking. Decades of research have shown that around half of all long-term smokers die from smoking-related diseases, with lung cancer being one of the most common. By contrast, studies have found that the concentration of carcinogens in vapour is hundreds of times lower than in cigarette smoke.

Switching from smoking to vaping reduces exposure to these carcinogens almost immediately. This is why lung health tends to improve within weeks or months after making the switch. Over time, the lungs begin to repair, and the risk of cancer decreases substantially, though complete cessation of nicotine use offers the greatest benefit.

What We Know So Far

Based on all available evidence, there have been no verified cases of lung cancer directly caused by vaping among non-smokers. Vaping does not expose the lungs to the high levels of tar, carbon monoxide, and carcinogens that make smoking so dangerous. While it may cause temporary irritation, it has not been shown to initiate or accelerate cancer in lung cells.

However, since vaping is relatively new, researchers continue to monitor long-term users to confirm that these trends persist over decades. The scientific consensus remains that vaping carries a fraction of the cancer risk of smoking, though it is not entirely without potential health effects.

Final Thoughts

No one has been confirmed to have developed lung cancer solely from vaping. The absence of tar and most carcinogens makes e-cigarettes dramatically less likely to cause lung cancer than traditional smoking. That said, because vaping is still a relatively recent phenomenon, long-term studies are ongoing to confirm its safety over decades of use.

For adults who smoke, switching to vaping remains one of the most effective ways to reduce the risk of smoking-related diseases. For non-smokers, however, starting vaping is not recommended, as the long-term effects are not fully understood. The safest path for lung health is always to avoid both smoking and vaping altogether.