The electronic cigarette, or e-cigarette, has overtaken the traditional cigarette. According to the 2024 Public Health Barometer, 3 million French people vape daily, representing more than 6 out of every 100 adults. Is it safer than cigarettes? This is the question posed by the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES). It analyzed nearly 3,000 studies, surveys on vaping practices, and risk assessments related to the inhalation of several targeted substances.
Key points to remember
THE report online since February 4, 2026 recommends principles of conduct to be followed with regard to electronic cigarettes.
- Vaping remains less harmful than traditional cigarettes: e-cigarettes pose a lower risk. However, when used as a smoking cessation tool, their use should be temporary and limited in time. Each person working to quit smoking will determine this duration individually.
- Anses advises against encouraging this consumption among specific categories of the population: adolescents, pregnant women and non-smokers.
- Further assessments are needed regarding the substances contained in e-cigarettes. Some chemical compounds are already known to be harmful, such as aldehydes, which are gases present in inhaled aerosols. Attention must also be paid to the combined effects of the molecules present, as well as those that are released when the liquids are heated.
Pending further data, Anses advises vigilance on the part of everyone, limited use over time for those who want to quit smoking – especially not letting the habit become established long-term! – and to keep a careful distance for those who were thinking of starting!
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"Possible" and "probable" health effects
As recalled Science and Future in a investigation previous (No. 902, April 2022) E-liquids are not without risk.Four years later, the ANSES report of February 2026 only partially clarifies the uncertainty of our knowledge; it highlights links " possible Or " probable The link between vaping with or without nicotine and cardiovascular, respiratory, and carcinogenic effects remains unclear. The harmfulness of e-cigarettes is still unproven, as there are not enough robust studies on humans. It is important to understand that the effects are not... not proven as in the case of smoked tobacco where knowledge accumulated over several decades is based on a " sufficient level of confidence and a larger number of studies concerning humans.
One observation: the lack of scientific data
ANSES notes a lack of scientific data on the immunological, reprotoxic, endocrine effects and on development in uteroAnother methodological observation: there is a lack of large-scale longitudinal studies in France or Europe. There is also a lack of large cohorts of vapers who have never smoked traditional cigarettes. To date, these populations are insufficient to assess the risk associated exclusively with vaping, and no dedicated cohort exists to our knowledge.Little information currently exists on user behavior with their e-cigarettes, their exposure to these substances, and also on the " multiple co-exposures to environmental factors such as pollution, pesticides, and food. The agency recommends exploring all these avenues that are little or not at all investigated.
- Cardiovascular effects
There is a possibility that e-liquids, when they contain nicotine, can affect blood pressure and disrupt the proper functioning of blood vessels. The link between vaping and circulatory problems, weakened heart function, or the formation of atherosclerosis remains possible ".
- Respiratory symptoms and illnesses?
Some studies show an association between daily use and an increased risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and asthma in both adults and adolescents. This risk applies to both exclusive users and those who... vapofumeursThis label is attached to those who vape and smoke, with the latter showing even more pronounced increases. Effects are also observed in former smokers, suggesting that e-cigarettes are not without impact on respiratory health, even in the absence of current smoking.
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- What do we need to understand about carcinogenesis?
The report specifies that »To date, no study conducted on e-cigarette users has shown evidence of tumor development.. But " the appearance of changes consistent with the early stages of carcinogenesis” is shown by works in vitro And in vivoMoreover, as the report points out, the appearance of a tumor is " a process that is often long, gradual and multifactorial which involves the environment, the duration of exposure, genetic predispositions in the individual, and various disrupted biological mechanisms. We must consider the notion of the latency period for the onset of cancer on the one hand, and on the other, the very recent emergence of e-cigarettes in our daily lives, barely fifteen years ago: we lack perspective. What the report calls a "possible effect" This therefore encourages us to take an additional step of caution with regard to these products.
- What are the effects on the fetus in pregnant women who vape?
Many smokers, when they become pregnant, say they opt for vaping to reduce or stop their tobacco consumption, in order to protect their baby's health. The few studies—nine in total—selected for their relevance focus on mice and rats. These animal models suggest the "Possible adverse effects" Products have been studied for their effects on fetal cardiac and pulmonary development. However, their effects on fetal brain development, immune system, and endocrine system are still unknown. If quitting smoking completely without resorting to vaping is impossible, " "Electronic cigarettes can be considered as an alternative for a complete cessation of smoking, within the framework of harm reduction." The report concedes that professional support is necessary.
For teenagers, vaping presents a problematic appeal.
Teenagers are a special category: they came to vaping directly, without having tried traditional cigarettes. Nearly one in two young people report vaping daily. At the press conference organized for the publication of the report, theAFP This highlights the remarks of Benoît Labarbe, head of the tobacco product evaluation unit at the agency. He particularly emphasizes the appeal of products with diverse flavors, features, and packaging: Vaping must be absolutely prohibited for non-smokers and young people who are attracted to the fruity and sweet flavors of these products.“Only 3% of 15-16 year olds smoke cigarettes in 2024, compared to over 31% in 1999. Many are taking up vaping for the same reasons that attracted their elders when they started smoking: mimicry and fascination with the gestures associated with these devices, a desire for…”group membership and ofsensory experiences ».
Read alsoTeenage vapers: the same probability of switching to tobacco as 50 years ago
The absence of combustion does not mean the absence of danger
Here again, tobacco smoke and vaping emissions should not be equated. However, the thermal degradation of glycerol and propylene glycol in e-liquid produces toxic compounds that are not harmless. ANSES (the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety) focuses on some of these, namely aldehydes. These include acetaldehyde, acrolein, formaldehyde, and propionaldehyde. They are toxic to human health and classified as known or probable carcinogens by the International Agency for Research on Cancer.
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