Can Vaping Kill You?

Jun 22, 2022Updated Sep 17, 20266 min readVape School

It is a blunt question, and the answers online tend to be either alarming or dismissive. Neither is much help when you want to make informed decisions as an adult.

This guide breaks the question into the concerns behind it: nicotine and nicotine poisoning, the 2019 outbreak of vaping-related lung injuries, battery accidents and what is still unknown. It is general information, not medical advice.

Why the question keeps coming up

Vaping is young compared with smoking, and scientists are still studying its long-term effects. Headlines also tend to lump very different situations together. A nicotine vape from a licensed shop, an illicit THC cartridge, a child who got into a bottle of e-liquid and a damaged battery in a pocket all become “vaping stories,” but the risks are not the same.

Looking at each concern separately makes it easier to understand what is known and what you can do about it.

Nicotine and nicotine poisoning

Most vape juice contains nicotine, and nicotine is an addictive chemical, whether it comes from a cigarette, a pod or a bottle of e-liquid. If you are deciding on a strength, our guide to nicotine strengths explains the options, and nicotine salts have their own guide.

Too much nicotine

Some people claim you cannot take in too much nicotine by vaping. Your body may disagree. Getting more nicotine than you are used to can make you feel unwell, with signs such as nausea, dizziness, headache, sweating or a racing heart.

If that happens, stop vaping and get some fresh air. If symptoms are severe or don’t ease, get medical help right away. Using a strength that suits you and taking breaks instead of vaping nonstop both help you avoid overdoing it.

Swallowed or spilled e-liquid

Liquid nicotine is especially dangerous when swallowed, and it can also be absorbed through the skin. Young children and pets are most at risk, because a small amount can cause serious poisoning, and poison centers regularly get calls about children who got into e-liquid.

• Store vape juice, pods and disposables up high and out of sight, ideally in a locked cabinet or box.
• Close child-resistant caps fully after every refill. US law requires child-resistant packaging for liquid nicotine, but a cap is not a lock.
• Don’t leave bottles or devices on a nightstand, on a coffee table or in an open bag.
• Wipe up spills, and wash your hands if e-liquid gets on your skin.
• If you mix your own juice, treat concentrated nicotine base with extra care. It is far stronger than ready-to-vape e-liquid, so wear gloves, label everything clearly and lock it away.
• If anyone swallows e-liquid, contact Poison Control or emergency services right away, even if they seem fine. For a pet, contact your veterinarian.

The 2019 lung injury outbreak (EVALI)

In 2019 and early 2020, the CDC investigated an outbreak of serious lung injuries among people who vaped. It named the condition EVALI, short for e-cigarette, or vaping, product use-associated lung injury. Thousands of people were hospitalized, and dozens died.

The CDC linked most cases to vaping products that contained THC, particularly ones obtained from informal sources such as friends, dealers or online sellers. It found vitamin E acetate, an additive in some THC products, strongly linked to the outbreak, while noting that other substances could not be ruled out. New cases peaked in September 2019 and declined after that.

The practical lessons still apply:

• Buy vaping products from licensed retailers, not informal or street sources.
• Don’t add anything to a vaping product that its maker did not intend, and don’t refill closed pods or cartridges with other substances.
• If you develop a cough, shortness of breath, chest pain or other symptoms after vaping, see a doctor and tell them what you vaped.

For more on this topic, see our explainer on vaping and the lungs.

Battery safety

Every vape runs on a lithium-ion battery, either built in or removable. These batteries store a lot of energy, and a battery that is damaged, mishandled or short-circuited can overheat, vent or catch fire. Battery failures have caused serious burns, and the FDA publishes tips on avoiding vape battery explosions.

• Charge with the charger or cable made for your device, and don’t leave it charging unattended or overnight.
• Never carry loose batteries in a pocket or bag where they can touch keys or coins. Use a plastic battery case.
• Replace batteries with torn or damaged wraps, and stop using any battery or device that gets unusually hot, swells or leaks.
• Buy batteries from reputable sources and stay within their limits, especially with a mechanical mod or your own coil builds.
• Keep devices out of extreme heat, such as a car dashboard in summer.

Our guides to recommended vaping batteries and mechanical mod battery safety go into more detail.

Long-term effects and current guidance

What is still unknown

This is the honest gap. Vaping has not been around long enough for scientists to fully understand its long-term effects, and research is ongoing. Public-health bodies also disagree on the details, including how vaping compares with smoking.

Some things are clear, though. Nicotine is addictive, and public-health bodies agree that people who don’t already use nicotine shouldn’t start. No vaping product is FDA-approved as a quit-smoking aid. If you smoke and are thinking about switching, talk to your doctor about your options.

Where to find current guidance

Health advice about vaping changes as new research comes in, so go to the source rather than old articles or social media posts:

• Your doctor, who can advise you based on your own health.
• cdc.gov for the CDC’s current information on e-cigarettes and nicotine.
• fda.gov for FDA rules, product authorizations and battery safety tips.

Common questions

Questions about your own health are best answered by your doctor. For the latest official guidance, check cdc.gov and fda.gov.

WARNING: This product contains nicotine. Nicotine is an addictive chemical. For adults 21+ only.