Updated and editorially reviewed by VapePoint: August 2, 2026. General information only; not personal medical advice.
The comparison between vaping and smoking should be made in the proper context: it is primarily relevant to adults who already smoke. For people who do not smoke, and for young people, starting to use nicotine is not a harm-reduction measure.
What does the 95% estimate mean?
In 2015, a public health body in England published an estimate that e-cigarettes were “at least 95% less harmful” than smoking. This is a relative, dated risk estimate intended to compare vaping with tobacco smoking, not to determine the precise risk for a particular person or every device and liquid.
The 2022 UK evidence update stated that, in the short and medium term, vaping represents a small fraction of the risks of smoking, but it is not risk-free, and evidence on long-term effects remains limited.
Why can the difference compared with smoking be substantial?
Tobacco cigarettes work through combustion, which produces smoke, tar, and carbon monoxide. An e-cigarette heats a liquid and produces aerosol, so exposure to many substances found in smoke differs and is lower compared with smoking. However, the aerosol is not “air” and may contain nicotine and potentially harmful substances.
Smoking cessation and complete switching
Research reviews have found that nicotine e-cigarettes can help some adults who smoke quit smoking. A more substantial reduction in exposure is expected when cigarettes are replaced completely, rather than when people continue to smoke and vape concurrently over an extended period.
It is not appropriate to present vaping as completely safe or as a universal solution for every smoker. Device design, power, liquid, and usage patterns affect exposure, and research continues to evolve. Nevertheless, the largest and most up-to-date studies currently indicate that vaping involves reduced harm compared with conventional smoking.