This is a very confused question. Vaping is NOT the same thing as smoking, The general consensus, is that vaping is around 95% less harmful than cigarette smoke. Referring to vaping as completely safe would be a mistake. But vaping avoids the 600 chemicals that the tobacco companies have, (been force to), admit to adding to their products. Let's see what everyone says about it.

Tim: Emphatically no. It is extremely good for my health.

I started smoking when I was thirteen and stopped twelve weeks ago. I am 61 years old. I had pretty much exhausted the alternative methods of stopping smoking (ending with a visit to our local hospital to get treatment for the effects of nicotine patch which caused a severe burn to my skin).

In the past just one cigarette, which I smoked after months of not smoking, was enough to make me feel compelled to start smoking again. That is how strong my addiction to nicotine is. Transitioning to vaping was incredibly easy for me because vaping satisfies my addiction. However, it means I am no longer being subjected to the thousands of other harmful chemicals in cigarette smoke.

So yes, very good for my health, because the only alternative for me is to smoke.

Michael: I smoked for 48 years — heavily. I was addicted in the classic sense. I tried quitting several times over the years, but tobacco’s grip on me was too much.

As the cost of cigarettes have gone up, I was spending $350 per month — over $4,000 per year. This is real money; I could prove it through receipts.

February 29th, 2016, (leap year), I went to vaping full time after trying it for a week or so. I haven’t looked back, and in 19 months, I have spent around $400 for all vaping supplies and devices. The vaping juice I buy runs about $10 a month — and it suits me perfectly.

I feel better, I breath better, food tastes better, I can vape almost anywhere, (discretely on planes and in restaurants). I don’t have the lingering smell of smoke on me, or in my clothes or in my home.

As a footnote, what is giving vaping a bad name are the people that take pleasure in huge vapes and filling the air with clouds the size of lounge chairs. For some guys, it’s a macho thing. For others, it seems to please them to annoy others — even though the vapor is harmless.

Bobby: I smoked for around 20 years. I had problems breathing. My blood pressure was high. I could not taste or smell much. I stopped smoking and started vaping about 7 years ago. It didn't take long for me to notice a huge difference in the way I felt. Still, I feel great. I'm able to outrun my young children. I can taste the food I'm eating. Now when I go to the doctor, they say my longs sound great.

Conclusion

The bottom line is that vaping is not risk free and if you don't smoke you shouldn't vape.

However, if you are a smoker who can't quit you will dramatically reduce your risk of dying from cancer, heart and lung disease if you switch to vaping.

How much less risky is it? Well, at present we can say that the long-term risk from vaping is at least 95% less than smoking. But I wouldn’t be surprised if it ends up being found to be more like 98% or 99% less risky.