Vaping linked to higher lung and oral cancer risk

A large South Korean cohort study of 4.5 million people found that former smokers who switched to e‑cigarettes had a 56 % higher chance of developing lung cancer and were twice as likely to die from the disease compared with those who quit smoking completely. The risk persisted even after five years of abstinence and was especially pronounced in adults aged 50‑80, where vaping was associated with a 91 % higher lung‑cancer incidence.

A separate comprehensive review led by UNSW Sydney concluded that nicotine‑based e‑cigarettes are likely to cause both lung and oral cancers. The analysis combined clinical, animal and mechanistic studies, noting the presence of carcinogenic volatile organic compounds and toxic metals such as lead, nickel and chromium in vaping aerosols. While exact population risk remains uncertain, researchers caution that vaping may undermine the health gains achieved by quitting smoking and could pose a direct cancer threat.

Public health experts highlight these findings as evidence that e‑cigarettes are not a harmless alternative to cigarettes and call for stronger regulation and clearer guidance for smokers considering vaping as a cessation tool.