Vaping has often been marketed as the “safer” alternative to smoking, but health experts are increasingly worried that it’s doing more harm than good—especially to children.
At the world’s largest health conference, leading cardiologists warned that e-cigarettes could be causing long-term, irreversible damage to young people’s brains and hearts.
Experts Push for a Global Ban
Professor Maja-Lisa Løchen, a senior cardiologist from the University Hospital of North Norway, went as far as calling for a worldwide ban on e-cigarette sales.
She argued that nicotine and the other chemicals found in vapes have far harsher effects on developing bodies than on adults.
According to her, children and teenagers who get hooked on vaping risk lifelong dependence and may even be pushed toward smoking later.
“We already know they are not harmless,” she said, pointing out that the products have been around long enough to gather meaningful data.
Her biggest fear? That a new epidemic of vaping-related illnesses is unfolding before our eyes.
What the Research Shows
The statistics back up those concerns. A University of California study published in the New England Journal of Medicine linked vaping to a 32% higher risk of stroke, a 24% increase in cardiovascular disease and asthma, a 46% rise in chronic lung disease, and nearly 50% more cases of oral health issues compared with people who don’t smoke or vape.
While traditional cigarettes are still far worse—more than doubling stroke risk and causing even higher rates of disease—the fact remains: vaping is far from safe.
Rising Popularity Among Young People
One of the most troubling trends is that vaping is catching on with teenagers who have never smoked in the first place.
A major review by University College London revealed that adult vaping in the UK jumped from 8.9% to 13.5% between 2022 and 2024.
Among young adults, the rate spiked from 17% to 26.5% in just two years.
The main reason? Curiosity. Social media campaigns, influencer marketing, sweet flavors, and brightly colored packaging all make vaping seem fun and harmless.
For children, it’s not about quitting cigarettes—they never smoked in the first place.
Warnings From Cardiologists
Professor Susanna Price of London’s Royal Brompton and Harefield hospitals said the real danger lies in the unknowns.
Vaping hasn’t been around long enough for doctors to fully understand its long-term impact.
She fears society may be replacing one highly addictive and damaging substance—tobacco—with another that could prove just as dangerous.
Government Action and Pushback
The UK Government has already banned disposable vapes and is pushing new laws to restrict packaging, flavors, and marketing under the Tobacco and Vapes Bill.
The aim is to reduce youth uptake and move closer to a smoke-free generation.
Public health leaders are divided. The British Heart Foundation has stressed that “no child or teenager should be picking up an e-cigarette,” while Action on Smoking and Health points out that, although not risk-free, vaping is still less harmful than smoking for adults trying to quit.
The Official Advice
The Department of Health and Social Care has made its stance clear: vapes can help adult smokers quit, but they should never be used by children or non-smokers.
For now, the battle continues between those calling for stricter bans and those who argue vaping still has a role to play in reducing cigarette use.
