94% of smokers wrongly believe vaping is as harmful as cigarettes, new US study finds
May 14, 2026 by clearingtheair.eu
94% of smokers wrongly believe vaping is as harmful as cigarettes, new US study finds
Public understanding of the relative risks of nicotine products appears to be moving further away from current scientific evidence. A growing proportion of smokers now believe that vaping is as harmful as — or even more harmful than — combustible cigarettes, despite multiple studies indicating substantially lower exposure to toxicants in non-combustible products. Researchers warn that these misperceptions may discourage smokers from switching away from cigarettes, which remain the leading cause of tobacco-related disease and death. The findings also highlight the increasing impact of misinformation, media narratives, and risk communication failures on public health behaviour.
14.10% of the adult population are current smokers. There are approximately 39.8 million current smokers in United States 17.10% of men are current smokers but only 11.10% of women.
SOURCE: GSTHR
