Rising vaping in Britain prompts fresh health warnings and government study as experts outline risks and quitting options

Britain’s growing number of people who vape has prompted renewed warnings from scientists and clinicians about potential harms from the chemicals, solvents and flavourings in e-cigarettes, even as public health authorities continue to recognise that vaping is generally less harmful than smoking.

About one in 10 adults (9.8 percent) vaped in 2023, rising to 15.8 percent among 16- to 24-year-olds, according to the Office for National Statistics. Recent research has linked vaping with DNA damage in mouth cells at levels similar to cigarette smokers, higher lung cancer risks for people who both smoke and vape, and impaired blood vessel function that could presage cardiovascular disease.

Those health findings have helped drive policy and research responses. In February 2025 the UK government announced a 10-year study that will follow 100,000 children and teenagers aged eight to 18 to track how vaping affects their health over time. The move follows studies and clinical reports suggesting adolescents who vape are showing more respiratory symptoms, including persistent cough and wheeze, and a rise in young people presenting with nicotine dependence and related symptoms.

Researchers say several pathways could explain the emerging harms. Nicotine — the primary addictive agent in most e-liquids — is a vasoconstrictor that narrows blood vessels and can raise blood pressure and heart rate. Lion Shahab, professor of health psychology at University College London, said nicotine may also affect blood sugar regulation, potentially increasing type 2 diabetes risk, although evidence remains inconclusive. A 2024 study in Tobacco Induced Disease linked chronic vaping with impaired blood vessel function, an early marker of cardiovascular risk.

Beyond nicotine, vapour carries ultra-fine particles and dissolved chemicals generated when propylene glycol (PG) and vegetable glycerin (VG), the main carriers in e-liquids, are heated. Laboratory work has shown VG and some common flavouring chemicals can damage airway cells and reduce their ability to repair and fight infection. When coils overheat or run dry, PG and VG can break down to form irritants and known carcinogens such as acrolein and formaldehyde, according to the UK expert advisory Committee on Toxicity.

Flavouring compounds used to create fruity or sweet profiles have been highlighted in multiple studies for their potential to irritate or damage airway tissue. Cinnamon-flavoured liquids that contain cinnamaldehyde and cherry-type flavourings using benzaldehyde have been shown in lab studies to blunt ciliary function and immune responses in the lung. Shahab noted that while these chemicals are commonly used in foods, inhalation is a different exposure route and carries distinct risks.

A 2023 paper in Nicotine & Tobacco Research reported DNA damage in mouth cells of vapers at levels comparable to smokers, with the highest levels in users of pod-style devices. Researchers at Ohio State University published a study last year in the Journal of Oncology Research and Therapy that found people who both smoke and vape were more likely to develop lung cancer than those who only smoke; the authors speculated that additional chemicals in e-liquids may add carcinogenic risk.

“Vaping is far simpler than cigarette smoke and thus likely less harmful,” Shahab said in earlier research discussing relative risks, but he and other experts emphasise that “less harmful” is not the same as harmless. Cancer Research UK and other bodies maintain that e-cigarettes are a useful tool for adults trying to quit smoking but should not be used by children, teenagers or non-smokers.

Clinicians have reported increasing numbers of under-18s attending emergency and outpatient services with chest tightness, palpitations, persistent cough and other symptoms linked to nicotine vaping. Andrew Grigg, professor of paediatric respiratory medicine at Queen Mary University of London, told Good Health that laboratory studies show inhaled vaping chemicals can reduce airway cell function and increase susceptibility to bacterial infections such as bronchitis. “We now have a generation of young people hooked on nicotine and they are inhaling not just nicotine, but a mixture of flavourings and chemicals into developing lungs,” he said.

Concerns about illegal and unregulated products have intensified as well. Trading standards officers seized 1.19 million illicit vapes in 2023/24, a 59 percent rise on the previous year. Border Force reported seizures rising from fewer than a million in 2022 to around 4.5 million between January and October 2023, and an additional 1.14 million were seized in 2024. Disposables, which played a major role in the surge of youthful vaping, were banned in Britain as of June 1, 2025.

Authorities and researchers advise consumers to look for a notified product on the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) list, to buy refillable devices with tanks no greater than 2 millilitres, and to use e-liquids sold in 10ml bottles with nicotine capped at 20mg per millilitre for legal UK products. Legitimate packaging should be child-resistant, display a batch number and UK contact details, and carry prominent nicotine warnings. Red flags for illegal products include oversized tanks, claims of “thousands of puffs,” extra-strong nicotine concentrations, cartoon-style branding, missing or foreign-language warnings, and sales via social media or market stalls.

A University of Bath study found about one in six vapes confiscated in English secondary schools tested positive for “spice,” a synthetic psychoactive substance. Researchers warn that black-market products may also contain higher-than-allowed nicotine levels, undisclosed additives, metals leached from coils such as nickel, chromium and lead, or even toxic additives banned in the UK.

For smokers seeking to quit, clinicians and public health bodies offer a hierarchy of approaches. Experts recommend using regulated, refillable products from reputable UK retailers and then tapering nicotine strength while increasing intervals between puffs. Nicotine replacement therapy, including mouth sprays, remains an option and may be helpful in people trying to stop vaping as well as smoking. Varenicline — a prescription medication that blocks nicotine receptors — has been shown in reviews to improve cessation rates but is not licensed in the UK specifically for vaping; it may be prescribed off-label.

Digital interventions also show promise. Trials using text-message-based programmes in adolescents have reported higher quit rates than usual care, and a Cochrane review suggested text message support may be effective for people aged 13 to 24. Health charities and some NHS services now offer stop-smoking support, and advocates including Asthma + Lung UK have urged that cessation schemes explicitly cover e-cigarette dependence.

Clinicians stress practical safety measures as well: avoid running tanks dry to prevent overheating, use only supplied chargers and avoid charging devices unattended or overnight, do not mix liquids or use products that may contain THC, and seek medical advice if experiencing chest pain, breathlessness or persistent cough. Public health messages continue to emphasise that where adults are trying to quit smoking, regulated e-cigarettes can be a less harmful aid, but children, teenagers and non-smokers should not start vaping.

Long-term population-level risks from vaping remain under study. The government-funded longitudinal cohort of children and teenagers aims to provide more definitive evidence on respiratory, cardiovascular and other outcomes over the coming decade. In the meantime, researchers and clinicians urge caution, tighter enforcement against illicit supplies and expanded cessation support for people addicted to nicotine delivered by vapes.