Vapes and e-cigarettes: advising patients on risks and benefits

While vapes are often used to aid smoking cessation, some are targeted at young people and reports suggest others may contain harmful levels of toxins

Vapes and e-cigarettes are the same thing: electronic devices that enable nicotine to be inhaled as a vapour instead of as smoke.

They are less harmful than traditional cigarettes because they do not contain carbon monoxide, tar and other toxic chemicals such as arsenic and benzene.

What do vapes contain and who can legally buy them?

A solution in the vape, known as an e-liquid, contains varying strengths of nicotine (and sometimes flavourings), allowing for a tapered nicotine withdrawal.