Vaping: Does It Really Cause Cancer?

Science Vs

Spotify Studios

Science, Education, Health & Fitness

4.4 • 12.4K Ratings

🗓️ 23 April 2026

⏱️ 41 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Headlines have been screaming about a new study suggesting that vaping could cause cancer — and that vaping could be just as dangerous as cigarettes. And if this were true, it would be a HUGE deal. We’ve been hearing for years that vaping is a safer option — and can help you quit ciggies. But the new paper has run up against angry criticisms from other scientists, with some calling the paper "misleading" and "problematic." So what’s going on?? Do scientists still think vaping is safer than cigarettes? How well do vapes actually help people quit smoking? And could Big Tobacco be behind the scenes, clouding the truth about all of this?? We get help sorting it out from Professor Bernard Stewart, Professor Lion Shahab and Professor Becky Freeman. Find our transcript here: https://tinyurl.com/ScienceVsVapingCancer In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Vaping world set alight by new study (02:50) Why Some Scientists Have Linked Vaping to Cancer (07:45) Why Some Scientists Pushed Back Against Vaping-Cancer Claims (17:51) Is Vaping as Dangerous as Smoking? (25:15) Do Vapes Help People Quit Smoking? (30:52) Big Tobacco Is Funding Vaping Research This episode was produced by Wendy Zukerman and Rose Rimler, with help from Ekedi Fausther-Keeys, Meryl Horn and Michelle Dang. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Wendy Zukerman is our executive producer. Fact checking by Erica Akiko Howard. Mix and sound design by Bobby Lord. Music written by Bumi Hidaka, Peter Leonard, Emma Munger and Bobby Lord. Additional music from Parry Music Library / BMGPM. Thanks so much to the Australian science media centre and all the scientists who responded to our emails on this — we asked a lot of you!. A big thanks to Joseph Lavelle Wilson and the Zukerman family. Science Vs is a Spotify Studios Original. Listen for free on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Follow us and tap the bell for episode notifications. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hi, I'm Wendy Zuckerman. This is Science Verses.
0:04.4	The show that pits facts against fumes.
0:13.1	Groundbreaking new research has confirmed a deadly link between e-cigarettes and cancer.
0:18.9	Vaping is likely to cause lung and oral cancer.
0:22.5	Headlines have been screaming about a new paper that's rocking the vaping world,
0:27.3	claiming that vaping is more dangerous than we thought.
0:30.3	We're hearing that not only is it likely to cause cancer,
0:33.3	but also that something that scientists have been telling us for years is wrong.
0:41.0	So is it safer to vape than smoke?
0:43.7	Well, now the science is in.
0:45.5	New research has found vapes are no safer than conventional cigarettes.
0:50.1	The conclusion is unavoidable.
0:52.0	We can hardly say that e-cigarettes are somehow safer than conventional cigarettes.
0:58.5	Vaping is as bad as cigarette smoking?
1:02.2	Now, if this is true, it is a huge switcher-roo for science.
1:07.2	And also, for science versus.
1:10.4	For literally a decade, we've been telling you that vaping is a safer and better alternative to smoking.
1:17.8	In a past episode, we even played you a song written by a bunch of researchers about it.
1:24.1	If you're thinking and switching to vaping, do it!
1:28.3	That's what the experts agree.
1:31.3	So did we lie to you?
1:34.3	True song?
	...

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