Most adults believe vaping is more harmful than smoking

Four in five adults believe smoking is less harmful than vaping
E-cigarettes still have risks but cause less harm than smoking
Vaping can be used as a method to quit smoking

Updated: Aug 18, 2023 / 01:38 PM CDT

(Getty Images)

(NewsNation) — Four out of five adults believe that vaping is more harmful than smoking when the reverse is actually true.

All tobacco products carry risks when it comes to harming your health, but a new survey found that only 20% of adults said vaping was less harmful than smoking cigarettes. That included some health care professionals unaware of the relative risks of both products.

Vaping was introduced as a method to help smokers quit, as e-cigarettes allow someone to gradually reduce the amount of nicotine they are ingesting over time rather than stopping cold turkey.

However, vaping increased in popularity among those who weren’t trying to quit smoking as well, especially when manufacturers introduced flavored cartridges.

A commentary published in the journal Addiction in response to the survey advised the public health community to continue to educate people that the best thing to do is avoid tobacco products entirely. But for those trying to quit, health care providers should be aware that e-cigarettes can be a less harmful way to stop smoking.