Lung scarring. Constricted blood vessels. Heart attacks. We all know the risks that come with smoking. But if you think vaping is the safer alternative - think again. Behind those cotton candy clouds, smoking’s trendy cousin might be just as dangerous… maybe even worse. On today’s episode of The Infographics Show, we’re explaining what really happens to your body when you vape. Let’s start with the basics. A lot of people say ‘vaping can help you quit smoking, so it can’t be as bad for you!’ Well, that’s wrong on all counts. The idea that vape clouds are somehow less harmful than cigarette smoke is a total myth - and yet, it's one that keeps spreading like, well... vapor. And despite what some might claim, most medical experts don’t recommend vaping as a legit way to quit smoking either. Still, lots of people pick up a vape under these false assumptions - believing it’s the “healthier” habit or a stepping stone to quitting. Smoking is, of course, extremely harmful to your health, especially among those who have been smoking for a while. The more you smoke, the more at risk you are. Cigarettes can release literally thousands of different chemicals when burned - most of which are poisonous, and as many as 69 are known to cause cancer. Most of these harmful chemicals reside within the actual smoke coming off a cigarette, and inhaled by a smoker. These include all kinds of nasty stuff like tar and carbon monoxide, which aren’t found within vapes. But if you think that vaping must be better by default then we’ve got some bad news for you… You’ve probably seen studies claiming that smokers who switch to vaping are more likely to quit cigarettes. And it’s true - about 18 to 21% of people who make the switch actually do quit smoking. That’s nearly twice as effective as common quit aids like nicotine patches or gum. But while vaping may help some people quit smoking, it often just swaps one addiction for another. Roughly 80% of those who quit cigarettes by vaping keep vaping. Compare that to the 91% of people who use other methods and are able to ditch nicotine altogether. And that’s because there’s one key ingredient that can’t be avoided by vapers. Nicotine - an addictive stimulant that’s extracted from tobacco. As well as being the key ingredient in cigarettes, nicotine is also found in vapes. Specifically, the so-called ‘E liquid’ that goes into E cigarettes, vape pens and other similar devices. The way these electronic smoking devices work is as follows: they heat up the e-liquid inside, turning it - and the nicotine it contains - into an aerosol that you inhale. The principle is exactly the same as smoking a regular cigarette. With cigarettes, you're inhaling smoke from burning tobacco. With vaping, you're breathing in vapor from heated liquid - hence the name. Devices like vape pens or what are sometimes called ‘mods’ – modified vape pens that tend to look like USB flash drives – act as a delivery system. They’re not dissimilar from nebulisers, or inhalers, used for asthma or another lung condition. Nebulisers turn a liquid medicine into a mist that is then inhaled by the user, delivering that medicine to the lungs. But the real issue isn’t just how these chemicals are being absorbed - it's what chemicals are going in with every puff. When it comes to asthma inhalers, it’s usually either salbutamol or terbutaline, which serve a medical function in helping those with lung conditions breathe easier. But vapes? Well, you really don’t want to know just what you might be breathing in when you inhale from one of those things. But… we’re going to tell you anyway! When someone takes a hit of their vape, the vapour that enters their mouth and travels down their airways to the lungs is a mix of whatever is found in their E liquid. This obviously includes the aforementioned nicotine. Nicotine can have some overpowering effects the first time you hit it - it can make you feel dizzy or even nauseous. It’s also partial to giving some folks headaches, causing stomach cramps, and even making others vomit. But those who have been using nicotine regularly might feel mildly relaxed or stimulated, even finding it easier to concentrate – though that’s usually due to the fact that they’ve temporarily filled their need to vape. Along for the ride with nicotine in this chaotic chemical clown car are a bunch of additives that give vape smoke its distinctive sickly sweet tastes and smell. One of these additives is diacetyl, which is known to cause damage to the smaller passageways in the lungs when inhaled. Also joining the crew is acrolein, a chemical most commonly used as weed killer. That’s right, and if it’s doing a number on the weeds in your garden, you can bet that’s going to be a bad time for your lungs. And of course, things wouldn’t be complete without formaldehyde, a toxic chemical often used in manufacturing - but that can also cause lung disease and contribute directly to heart disease. Sometimes, E liquids also include THC, a chemical commonly found in marijuana, that is responsible for its psychoactive effects. All of this is dissolved into an oily mixture, and the heated vapour of that is what’s now careening down your oesophagus and into your lungs. There's also another surprising byproduct of vaping - toxic metals. This means traces of lead, chromium or nickel, as well as arsenic, can be released by the heating coils inside vaping devices that heat up the E liquid. And they are then breathed in by the user. We don’t need to tell you that breathing in tiny particles of metal is not good for your health. But if you want some specific dangers, breathing these toxic traces in can not only harm the lungs, but also the liver, your immune system and even cause permanent brain damage. Oh, and several different types of cancer too. And if you thought that was the end of the risks to your body, then guess again! We’re only just getting started! When you inhale, the nicotine in the vapor heads straight for your lungs - and from there, it’s a quick trip into your bloodstream. Once it’s in, your body releases a hit of adrenaline. As you probably already know, that’s the hormone that raises your pulse and breathing rate, as well as making you more alert, but also your blood pressure. That’s where nicotine is potentially dangerous, as an increase in blood pressure can raise your odds of having a heart attack - meaning vaping for an extended period of time puts you more at risk. Nicotine’s other party trick is weakening the immune system too, making it harder for the body to fight off germs and infections. Additionally, just inhaling any chemical substance is likely to make you cough. It sounds like a no-brainer, but your lungs are designed to take in oxygen, not an airborne cocktail of addictive chemicals and metal. Vapes that include marijuana in their E liquid can also cause a far more potent high than smoking it through other means. This can cause an elevated state of anxiety, as well as making your mouth and eyes feel dry. Despite the hype around vaping being ‘better’ than smoking, there’s a reason so many people can’t put their vapes down. As we’ve said, nicotine is highly addictive. And once you’re vaping regularly, it’s easy to get hooked. That’s part of why vaping is especially popular with younger people. The developing brain is more vulnerable to addiction, making it even harder to stop once you’ve started. As your brain grows, and continues to up until your mid twenties, newer habits can take root fast. So, regular vaping can lead to the brain learning to be dependent on that regular hit of nicotine. Vaping and nicotine don’t just rewire the brain to form an addiction though, there’s plenty of other side effects on the brain. Up until the age of 25, the brain is highly sensitive to the effects of all the chemicals in E liquids, especially nicotine. Excessive exposure can disrupt the brain’s natural growth, which can have lasting effects on learning and thinking skills. This has also been linked to depression, which is of course a chemical imbalance in the brain caused by low production or a lack of positive endorphins. Oh, and schizophrenia, a psychological condition commonly associated with auditory hallucinations. The brain and lungs aren’t your only vital organs that are at risk of serious damage whenever you hit a fat cloud. Vaping can lead to an increased risk of heart disease. When nicotine enters the bloodstream it can cause a build up of plaque. Yes, that same sticky deposit that builds up on your teeth if you don’t brush, that can be a breeding ground for all kinds of nasty bacteria. But instead of being in your teeth, this plaque can occur with your arteries, leading to obstructions. Blocking what is essentially the super highway needed to travel through your body can delay blood from reaching your organs, or sometimes outright stop it if the plaque build up is severe enough. And if this gets bad enough through continued vaping, it can trigger a heart attack or even a stroke. But what about the lungs? If you have asthma or any other pre-existing lung condition, vaping is likely to make that a whole lot worse. But the chemicals in E liquid vapour are likely to lead to other serious lung problems. Remember acrolein, the weed killer found in some E liquids? That can cause sudden lung injuries, as well as trigger respiratory illnesses - like lung cancer and COPD. COPD stands for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, a long term lung condition that makes it harder for you to breathe. It’s a progressive disease, meaning it gets worse over time. Of course, that’s provided the chemicals in your vape don't almost outright kill you. In 2019, a 16-year-old boy from Nottingham, England, nearly died thanks to a catastrophic reaction in his lungs. Having been vaping for five months, Ewan Fisher suddenly found himself unable to breathe normally. He was rushed to the emergency room, having been coughing and choking in his sleep and was placed on life support. His lungs were failing, and even ventilators were unable to pump enough oxygen into his body. He would have died, had he not been attached to an extra corporeal membrane oxygenation machine, also called an artificial lung. This carried his blood out of his body through large tubes, removed the carbon dioxide from it, added oxygen, then pumped it back in. Another teenager from the UK wasn’t so lucky though. Rosey Christoffersen developed a condition known as bilateral pneumothorax as a result of vaping. That’s when both your lungs suddenly and spontaneously collapse. Though bilateral pneumothorax is rare, it’s been linked to vaping, and it’s so devastating to the body that it left Rosey brain dead before she even arrived at hospital. She died three days before her nineteenth birthday. Vaping might seem like harmless, flavored clouds, but beneath the surface, the risks are very real. From addiction and lung damage to life-altering health conditions, what starts as a ‘harmless’ habit can spiral into something far more dangerous. The tragic story of Rosey Christoffersen is a reminder that the consequences aren’t always years away - they can happen suddenly, without warning. As research continues to uncover more about the effects of vaping, one thing is clear - your health is never worth the gamble. What do you think about vaping? Have you or someone you know experienced the effects firsthand? Let us know in the comments. Now go check out What Happens To Your Body When Smoking Weed or click on this video instead.