Smoking remains one of the leading causes of preventable death in the United States, withnearly half a million Americans dying each year from smoking-related illnesses. The primary source of harm is not nicotine; it is the combustion, which contains carcinogens and toxic chemicals. Because of this, hundreds of billions of dollars are spent on smoking related healthcare annually. Reducing the harm and cost of smoking should prioritize eliminating cigarette smoking, not nicotine use itself.
Vaping and other smoke-free products significantly reduce exposure to the toxic chemicals that cause cancer, heart disease, and lung damage. Vaping carries less than five percent of the risk of smoking. Treating vaping as equivalent to smoking ignores the fundamental difference in risk between the two—a difference the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) should, but does not, adequately account for.
Not only are vapes less harmful than cigarettes, but many smokers have successfully quit smoking by switching to vaping after failing with traditional cessation tools. Numerous studies find that vaping is a highly effective smoking cessation tool. In real-world settings, e-cigarettes function as substitutes for cigarettes, not a gateway to smoking as the FDA often implies. When vaping products are available, smokers have a pathway away from combustible tobacco to a far less harmful option. Removing those alternatives risks pushing smokers back toward cigarettes.
Justin Leventhal is a Senior Policy Analyst for the American Consumer Institute, a nonprofit education and research organization that advocates for consumers through evidence-based analysis and data. Follow Justin on X @JustinLeventhal.