I can’t be bothered to explain it to you:

The reality of the “delta” in harm between vaping and smoking is defined by the fundamental difference between aerosolisation and combustion. While vaping is not risk-free, major health organisations and longitudinal chemical analyses indicate that it is significantly less harmful than combustible tobacco.

1. The 95% Harm Differential Public Health England and the Royal College of Physicians maintain a long-standing estimate that vaping is at least 95% less harmful than smoking tobacco.

• Toxicant Exposure: Levels of key toxicants in e-cigarette aerosols are typically more than 99% lower than those found in cigarette smoke.
• Chemical Complexity: Tobacco smoke contains over 7,000 chemicals, including 70 known carcinogens. In contrast, e-cigarette aerosol is composed of significantly fewer chemicals, primarily propylene glycol, vegetable glycerine, nicotine, and flavourings.
• Biomarkers: Research shows that smokers who switch entirely to vaping have substantially lower exposure to harmful substances, with biomarker levels similar to those using medical nicotine replacement therapy (NRT).

2. Combustion vs. Aerosolisation The primary reason for the harm delta is the absence of fire.

• Combustion (Smoking): Burning tobacco creates tar, carbon monoxide, and a cocktail of oxidizing agents and poisons.
• Aerosolisation (Vaping): Vaping involves heating a liquid to create a vapour without burning. Most health harms from smoking are caused by the products of combustion, not the nicotine itself.

3. Potential Harms and Variables Despite the reduced risk profile, vaping introduces unique variables that can influence its safety:

• Device Performance: Toxin formation, such as the production of dihydroxyacetone (DHA) or formaldehyde, is highly dependent on device design and temperature management.
• Wicking Efficiency: Poorly saturated wicks (dry hits) or excessive wattage can cause the thermal degradation of solvents, leading to higher levels of harmful byproducts.
• Emerging Risks: While long-term data (beyond 20 years) is still being collected, some studies suggest vaping may impact lung lipid homeostasis or cardiovascular function, though these effects are generally less severe than those caused by smoking.

4. Public Misperception Recent data indicates a growing “misperception gap”:

• In 2024, approximately 50% of adults incorrectly believed vaping is as or more harmful than smoking.
• By 2025, this figure rose to 56%, despite continued scientific evidence of vaping’s lower relative risk.
• Experts note that these misperceptions may prevent smokers from switching to a significantly less harmful alternative.