Is vaping safe? What about teens vaping? A doctor explains all.

[@stevegosciniak631]

Thank you for giving an honest view on vaping (both good and possible bad) with out the fear mongering that I see on You Tube. As a former smoker 40 years, I would have never been able quit without vaping. When my friends ask me about it I always say “if you have never smoked don’t vape”

[@DrSophieGP]

Glad to help! Massive well done for stopping!

[@GrimmGreen]

A Dr on KZbin giving out .... mostly good information about vaping? This is refreshing for sure. I do want to say, the alternative is always cigarettes. There is this strange circular logic that happens when Drs talk about vaping. Vaping is less harmful than smoking, but vaping could lead to smoking, but if it does and they do smoke... you would just tell them to vape because it's safer than smoking. I guess my question is, should teens ( or anyone ) be forced to smoke first, in order to qualify to vape? Or should they just be commended for starting with vaping, since it's clearly less harmful? Keeping in mind the fantasy of a nicotine free society is just that.

[@DrSophieGP]

Well I certainly wouldn’t suggest we force teens to smoke 😵‍💫. Smoking rates are falling in almost all countries globally and in some countries

[@GrimmGreen]

@@DrSophieGP I guess my question is why try to fantasize about a nicotine free society, when we can now consume nicotine very very safely. No cancer, COPD, ETC. 15 years of safe nicotine vaping use by tens of millions of users world wide. There is currently a giant, society level experiment going on with the adoption of vaping and in that time, we still have zero attributable deaths to nicotine vaping. The latest 5yr study I saw, showed COPD patients having their COPD symptoms ameliorated by switching to vaping. I think this tech can save adult lives, and fear of nicotine use seems to be preventing that on a big scale. Anti-vaping groups like Campaign For Tobacco Free Kids and P.A.V.E. use nicotine addiction fears to prevent adults from switching and it's gross. No youth should ever vape or smoke, this is why we have 21+ laws. Youth smoking is now the lowest levels ever recorded and youth vaping dropped over 60% in the last 2 years. CDC NYTS data shows this. Thank you for your time and sorry for the novel. I've been helping smokers switch to vaping for 13 years and it's really personal to me.

[@DrSophieGP]

@@GrimmGreen I completely agree vaping can be a total game changer for smokers trying to quit, but I think, in the UK at least, youth vaping is of real concern. The new variety of high strength, candy-looking and flavoured, cheap, disposable vapes are a huge appeal. I’d like to see more legislation in place surrounding these and attempts to ensure they are not so easily purchased by underage users.

[@nigelrudd6766]

@@DrSophieGP I think any sane vaper or person, is opposed to encouraging teens to vape. But if we’re going to make it as difficult as possible for teens to buy vapes, shouldn’t we be putting twice as much effort into prohibiting teens from buying cigarettes? It would be twisted logic to make cigarettes easier to acquire than vape products.

[@DrSophieGP]

@@nigelrudd6766 Yes, we should definitely work on this too. I think the concern is how vapes are specifically targeting young people with the super sweet flavours and candy style packaging.

[@addytuney2028]

Here is my point of view; first off, nicotine vaping was invented by a pharmacist in 2003 after he experienced the death of his father from smoking. The design was improved and nic vape shops started to open across the country. Smokers found nic vaping was able to allow them to quit when nothing else worked. A cottage community was born and ex-smokers opened up more nic vape shops because they could help smokers and make a living doing it. Smoking rates started to plummet which disrupted the money flow to big tobacco, big healthcare, big pharma, State sin tax income and tobacco control/body parts non-profits (and the billionaires who used them as tax shelters). In 2018 big tobacco saw the writing on the wall and bought into Juul. The fore mentioned organizations enacted prohibitionist laws against flavored nic vaping across the country to protect their interests which proliferated a booming illicit market. Sweden will soon be a smokefree country because they have a well regulated tobacco harm reduction strategy in place (nic vaping, snus, heat not burn). If you smoke, please get to a vape shop and get a setup that you like. Slowly drop the nicotine level down if you wish and quit. Our youth are now smokefree (very low regular use of nic vaping at 2.6%) and adult smoking is the lowest ever recorded. Removed from the engineered addictive cigarette Nicotine is NOT a carcinogen and is NOT addictive but is dependence forming (like caffeine). With the advances in modern science we now know nic vaping is 95+% less harmful and much easier to quit. The outbreak of lung injuries often known as "EVALI" was nothing to do with nicotine vaping An examination of the evidence shows that EVALI cannot have been caused by nicotine vaping. The characteristics of the lung injury outbreak are consistent with localised supply chain contamination. The contaminant has been identified and is known to be Vitamin E Acetate. This had been used as a thickener or cutting agent in illicit Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) cannabis vape pens. This agent cannot be mixed with nicotine vaping liquids and would serve no useful purpose if it could be. No other cause or causal agent has been identified that would both implicate nicotine liquids and be consistent with the geographical and temporal pattern of the lung injury outbreak. www.gov.uk/government/publications/vaping-in-england-evidence-update-march-2020 Vaping in England: evidence update March 2020 and again in '22 How to Read the CDC’s Confusingly Presented Youth Vaping Data by Danielle Jones filtermag.org/how-to-read-cdc-youth-vaping-data/ 15 THR Doctors/PhDs ; Balancing Consideration of the Risks and Benefits of E-Cigarettes. news.umich.edu/current-focus-on-preventing-youth-vaping-could-hinder-adults-efforts-to-stop-smoking/ Dependence on tobacco and nicotine nicotinepolicy.net/blogs/karl-fagerstrom/ Safer Nicotine Wiki: safernicotine.wiki/mediawiki/... Who Benefits From Vaping Downfall? kzbin.info/www/bejne/equ0eqB-n7Saf8U

[@DrSophieGP]

Thanks for sharing all this. I have done a short about the THC vape pens too. Unfortunately, these appear to be on the rise with teens / young adults (in the UK).

[@RobbeyT1]

I believe I have a problem with vaping. I've been vaping for 4 years after quitting cigarettes and I'm glad I did. I've been fine all these years. However, during the last days of the big freeze we had in the UK about two months ago, I think I vaped far too much. I noticed a sudden problem with breathing when laying on my side in bed before sleep, and also found it impossible to lay on my back more than a few seconds as I would quickly start gasping for air. I left it for a couple of weeks to see if it was just a chest cold, I eventually made an appointment with my GP and I suggested to her I had Pneumonia as I kept the house too cold during the freeze. Well the GP said it definitely wasn't/isn't Pneumonia nor is it because of the over heavy vape use and my GP seemed very puzzled. I've had my blood tested, an EEG and a chest X-ray, no problems found so far. Although I still can't lay on my back because of breathing difficulties, next week I'm attempting to have a CT lung scan and then an COPD test. I'm still struggling with breathing when laying down and seems exactly the same as it was two months ago, it's not changed at all.

[@faithncountry]

Interesting this just popped up for me today. I quit cigarettes and started vaping, while i know i need to now quit this habit, my smokers cough is gone, clothes don't stink etc. (Ive been a smoker for over 20 years) What I found interesting, I took my teen son to the dr last week and she informed him she would rather him smoke cigarettes than vape.....and I'm sitting there with my mouth hanging open going....WHAT?!? That was her idea of trying to get him to not vape.... I sure hope he just doesnt do any of it! Ive explained the terrible effects and how hard it is to quit so just dont start the habit at all. Heres hoping 🤞

[@DrSophieGP]

Well done, sounds like you’ve done brilliantly! I can understand the doctor’s concern about vapes, I certainly worry about my teen and the increasing amount of vaping among that age. I wouldn’t rather she smoked though!

[@zaxzaxx4561]

Could have been worse, but still... No, we don't know what the consequences of vaping will be long-term, but because (at least in the UK) we know exactly what's in them we can make well-informed predictions. Glycerine (used in cooking) is a harmless plant extract. Ethylene glycol is used to make fog in theatres and concerts, so people have been exposed to it for years. The flavourings are much like those used in confectionery. The actual toxins present, such as acetaldehyde, are in such small quantities as to be irrelevant, Nicotine is indeed highly addictive, but comparing it to heroin is misleading tabloid sensationalism, as what's important are the consequences of a given addiction. Unlike heroin or alcohol, both of which can kill you, all nicotine does is cause your blood pressure to blip upwards and your adrenaline levels to spike, which is also true of gymnastics, dancing and sex. I could go on...This kind of non-information really doesn't help. Of course kids shouldn't be able to get hold of vapes, but nor should they be able to get hold of cheap cider or L&B Blue, so please don't conflate these safeguarding issues with information relating to vaping per se.

[@DrSophieGP]

Lots of interesting points. As I discussed in the video, we don’t yet know the long-term effects, (eg inhaling some ethylene glycol in a concert now and again is very different to directly inhaling it many hours a day every day), but it’s certainly much safer than smoking. A concern for many is the effects of nicotine on adolescent brains (still growing up to age 25), especially in those who may have never smoked. Really interesting to discuss and consider all the points. I also really hate all the litter disposable vapes are causing!

[@Antonio-jl1uz]

Excellent comment very informative!! Spot on. Vaping has been around for a while so we at least know mid term effects

[@zaxzaxx4561]

Sorry, you are of course quite right! Confused my two glycols, which was unwise given that ethylene glycol is used in anti-freeze! More concerning is the fact that *Dr* Sophie didn't seem to realise my error...@@samuraineko3

[@truthseeker6377]

@zaxzaxx4561THANK YOU and great info! @DrSophie fair response and also good info

[@iqosuser2754]

I cannot see children leaving vaping for smoking. If oxygen?? Is the healthy option. But i love vaping. There are foods you eat the kill you. But no restriction on that.

[@DrSophieGP]

We have very strict guidance on food manufacturing to ensure safety. We could do with similar robustness to vaping restrictions.

[@shannonpercival2941]

⁠@@DrSophieGPand yet there are fast foods available on almost every street corner in most cities and well-populated areas, including the less economically successful ones 🤔 I would quite confidently bet that a substantial portion-majority of the current population (in western countries particularly) consume fast food on a regular basis if not more frequently than is recommended.

[@2025ishere]

As a teen that vapes it’s not that bad . And I’m never gonna smoke a cigarette in my life cuz it tastes yuck 🤮

[@DrSophieGP]

Did you watch the video? It might change your mind!

[@2025ishere]

@ I did but I vape for stress and my stress is so bad that I can’t control it

[@steverfc7]

im 33 i have never smoked or vaped im glad i dont waste of money and bad for your health especially smoking am so glad i never took habit up

[@DrSophieGP]

Yes, me too.

[@ronmalloy8504]

Why do you Even care?

[@ronmalloy8504]

Why are you on this site?

[@steverfc7]

@@ronmalloy8504 👍

[@2025ishere]

I’m 14 and I vape

[@ronmalloy8504]

In Canada our vapes are taxed and limited to 2% nicotine.

[@DrSophieGP]

That’s sensible!

[@truthseeker6377]

Those 25-30 mg of nicotine are in an entire bottle of vape juice. I'm a regular vaper and I don't go through an entire bottle for at least a couple weeks.

[@SuperBROKEN81]

Its not water......its PG and VG. Edit: had a friend die of heroin. He was able to quit smoking but he could not quit the heroin. So you trying to compare the two is straight up bullshit.

[@DrSophieGP]

This is not an opinion piece, evidence suggests nicotine is as addictive as heroin (BMJ. 2000 Feb 12; 320(7232): 391-392. doi: 10.1136/bmj.320.7232.391). I’m very sorry about your friend, heroin is a horrific drug. I do explain that vapes contain glycol & glycerine.

[@steveni1459]

started smoking when i was 16 stopped at 48 went on to vaping after that now 55 vape all day every day ...i know there is things going on have high blood presure and can feel lump by my right side lung witch first felt two years ago...how worse could things get .

[@DrSophieGP]

You did really well to stop smoking! You know you can do it, so perhaps you can cut down on vapes now too

[@cwoodworth3870]

What about the ones that is o nicotine

[@DrSophieGP]

A much better option, but they still have other chemicals.

[@Jack-hy1zq]

78 000 people die every year as a direct consequence of smoking. Untold thousands of people suffer chronic, debilitating diseases and/or amputations. The End

[@DrSophieGP]

My video isn’t about smoking. But yes, smoking is bad for your health 👍🏻

[@ronmalloy8504]

I vaped for 14 years and never felt beter. Xsmoker of 50 years.

[@ronmalloy8504]

I think kids are getting there vapes online and are not safe

[@DrSophieGP]

Well done on giving up the cigarettes! Vaping is a much safer alternative.

[@inforapide618]

I need someone to learn enghlish

[@ronmalloy8504]

You can't stop kids from vaping because they get their vapes online.!

[@DrSophieGP]

But we can educate everyone, including parents, so they are aware of what the vapes contain and the risks they pose. We can also put pressure on politicians and governments to try and prevent the accessibility of vapes for children.

[@michaelschuster4895]

How did billions of smokers avoid any brain damages by nicotine? The average age, when smokers starts their "career" is 15.

[@DrSophieGP]

Are you suggesting smokers don’t suffer brain damage? If so, I’m afraid you’re incorrect. Smoking speeds up cognitive decline, increases risk of dementia and causes greater amounts of age-related volume loss.

[@zaxzaxx4561]

@@DrSophieGP He's referring to your comments about nicotine - you're conflating that with the general consequences of smoking, which could lead people to think you're doing that deliberately.. What are your sources for those assertions about brain damage, dementia etc.?

[@treasurecompanion]

We have no longer term data on vaping …,how can you say it less a problem than cigs ? You have no idea !!! You have no idea

[@DrSophieGP]

I’m just presenting the evidence as it stands, you are free to choose to do with it as you like. The healthiest option would be to do neither.

[@Legalthccartstore0]

Vape Anytime, Anywhere!

[@DrSophieGP]

That's not always allowed.

[@SteveJones-gz4vd]

errrr refill the water ????? Just to be clear a single cig contains between 10 and 14 mg of nicotine, and when you smoke one , you take on approx. 1 mg of nicotine, Nicotine is harmless , but in cigs the combustibles contain much worse chemicals. Not sure what this doctors research is BUT , the question is, is she a medical doctor or other, because some of her claims are ridiculous FFS

[@DrSophieGP]

Yes, I’m a medical doctor. “Nicotine is harmless” is a demonstrably false statement. I haven’t made any claims in this video, just gone through the summary of evidence. What are you suggesting is ridiculous and please provide evidence to support your accusation.

[@SteveJones-gz4vd]

@@DrSophieGP Go on dear doctor show me proof pure nicotine causes cancer, I dare you, GP's like you are after clicks , THAT simple, your an embarrassment and a low level doctor

[@SteveJones-gz4vd]

@@DrSophieGP And here is the thing, when you challenge medical professionals with hard facts , they buckle . Back to school you and away from youtube and clicks

[@SteveJones-gz4vd]

@@DrSophieGP Show me evidence of NHS provided NRT where it has caused harm, you can't can you ?

[@DrSophieGP]

@stevejones-gz4vd I think there’s some confusion here. The safety profile of NHS-provided NRT, which delivers low, controlled doses of nicotine to help people quit smoking, doesn’t make nicotine itself harmless. Nicotine remains a highly addictive substance with proven effects on heart rate, blood pressure, and brain development. The fact that NRT is a tool to minimize harm doesn’t negate the risks of nicotine, especially when used recreationally in vapes or cigarettes.

[@williamJohanns436]

Saferrrrr a harm reduction product. At least 95% safer than smoking according to the royal college of physicians uk.

[@DrSophieGP]

Yes! I quote this statistic in the video. One issue is considering young people are starting vaping (who may never have even smoked).