While vaping is not risk free, it is less harmful than tobacco Our World in Data When People Both Vape and Smoke, They Don't Swap Cigarettes for E Cigs Why Do People Start Vaping? TABlites Tablites 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 Chart: Teenagers Two to Three Times More Likely to Vape Than Smoke Statista Many young people who vape did not smoke cigarettes before they started vaping. But young people who vape are more likely to start smoking cigarettes than those who never vape. For help