You may have swapped cigarettes for a vape thinking it’s safer—especially if it’s nicotine-free. But new research reveals that even nicotine-free vaping can damage blood vessels, raising the risk of heart disease and circulation problems.
Unlike cigarettes, vapes don’t produce smoke or tar. Instead, they heat a liquid—usually a mix of propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin—into an aerosol you inhale. While these ingredients are safe to eat, inhaling them can harm your lungs and airways, causing coughing, shortness of breath, and inflammation.

Flavorings add another layer of risk. Chemicals like diacetyl (linked to popcorn lung), benzaldehyde, and trace heavy metals from vape coils are all found in e-cigarettes—even those without nicotine. A 2024 study compared traditional cigarettes, nicotine vapes, and nicotine-free vapes. All three impaired vascular function. Nicotine vapes had the worst effect, but nicotine-free ones weren’t far behind. The takeaway? The base ingredients and flavorings themselves are harmful. Dr. Marianna Nabbout, one of the researchers, warned that if a single vape session can immediately impact your blood vessels, long-term use could lead to serious vascular disease.

Worse still, vaping is drawing in people—especially youth—who might never have smoked otherwise. According to Johns Hopkins, over 2 million U.S. students used e-cigarettes in 2021, with most choosing flavored ones.

If you thought vaping was harmless, this study is a wake-up call.

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