French Study Warns Vaping Carries Clear Health Risks

A comprehensive new report from France’s leading public health agency delivers a clear and concerning verdict on e-cigarettes, stating they “carry health risks” and should be strictly avoided by non-smokers and young people.

After reviewing nearly 3,000 scientific studies, a panel of 14 experts concluded that vaping involves inhaling harmful substances—including toxic metals and chemicals like aldehydes that form when the e-liquid is heated—which bind to and damage respiratory tissues, leading to potential long-term harm as the body struggles to repair itself.

The report links vaping to likely adverse cardiovascular effects, an increased risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and observed cellular changes, including DNA damage, that may contribute to a cancer-promoting environment.

For pregnant women, maternal vaping may negatively impact fetal heart and lung development.

While the agency acknowledges that e-cigarettes can serve as a temporary quitting tool for current smokers alongside other nicotine replacements, it strongly emphasizes that their use should then also be stopped, reinforcing that vaping is not a harmless alternative and public health efforts should focus on preventing its uptake, especially among youth attracted to sweet flavors.