Vaping May Be More Dangerous Than Cigarette Smoking, Studies Show University Hospitals Vaping isn't harmless. Early nicotine use can harm brain development, affect how nerve cells work, and increase the risk of addiction. Young people who vape are 4x more likely to start smoking Many people turn to vaping, thinking it's a safer alternative to smoking. However, this belief is misleading and potentially harmful. This #NationalLungMonth, let us acknowledge that vaping is not risk free and can Vaping has overtaken cigarettes as the dominant nicotine risk for young people. The 2025 Monitoring the Future survey of 24,000+ US students confirms what schools have been seeing for years: 31% of