Tobacco & Vaping Facts & Stats

Tobacco is a native plant found originally in the Americas. It has been considered sacred by many Indigenous peoples and used in its natural form in ritual, prayer and ceremonies. These are considered traditional, ancestral and ceremonial uses of tobacco and do not make people sick.

Non-traditional or commercial uses of tobacco includes smoking (cigarettes, hookahs, cigars, pipe), using it in your mouth (chewing tobacco, pouches), or inhaling it (snuff). Because of how it is processed and consumed, these forms of tobacco have many other harmful substances, which can cause serious health problems, especially when burned. Tobacco contains nicotine, which is an addictive substance that makes quitting commercial tobacco very difficult for some people.

Vaping is the use of an electronic device to heat a substance (usually a vaping liquid, or “juice”) into an aerosol (a.k.a. vapour or cloud) and then inhaled into the lungs. Vaping products have either nicotine or cannabis, which are absorbed by the mouth and lungs in this process. The devices come in various shapes and sizes, can be rechargeable, refillable or disposable.

Although vaping is thought to be less harmful than smoking, it is not harmless. The “vapour” contain chemicals and heavy metals that can harm a person’s airways and lungs and cause other health problems. Nicotine, present in vapes, can also cause addiction and affect brain development. Research is still underway to discover how vaping can affect people’s health in the long term.

Watch this video to learn how vaping products works

Nicotine pouches are small, soft packets that contain nicotine, flavourings, and other chemicals. Unlike chewing tobacco or cigarettes, they don’t contain tobacco leaf. They are placed between the lip and gum, where they slowly release nicotine, which is absorbed through the mouth’s lining into the body.

Despite not being inhaled, pouches still come with health risks and are addictive—especially for young people, since nicotine affects brain development. Nicotine pouches are regulated in B.C. and intended to be restricted to behind pharmacy counters, to help limit access for minors.

The tobacco and vaping companies (often the same corporations) use aggressive marketing tactics that target racial and ethnic minorities, low-income populations and young people. In the past, tobacco companies have been known to not tell the whole truth about the true adverse health effects of their products. For example, despite knowing the truth, they denied the link between smoking and diseases, and the addictiveness of nicotine. 

Today, many tobacco companies promote vaping and heat-not-burn products as a harm reduction strategy for adults in developed countries like Canada, saying they are changing their approach. Meanwhile, they continue to promote and profit from smoking, especially in developing countries. They have also been confronted for using marketing strategies that attract young people to use these products.

Nicotine is a highly addictive substance found in vaping, tobacco and oral products (like nicotine pouches). People who consume nicotine-containing products often need to increase the amount of nicotine they use to feel the same effects. Eventually they may experience withdrawal symptoms like cravings, changes in mood, headaches and trouble sleeping.

The amount or frequency of using nicotine needed to become dependent varies from one person to another. However, we know that the earlier someone starts using nicotine, the higher their chances are of becoming dependent. Nicotine dependence appears in the form of cravings, feeling like you need it to go about your day, and finding it difficult to resist using it. Some factors that affect a person’s chances to become dependent on nicotine are:

• Genetic factors that influence how their brain responds to nicotine
• How early in life they start using nicotine-containing products
• How often, how much and how deep they inhale it (if smoking or vaping)
• Being around people who smoke and/or vape
• History of mental health issues and using other addictive substances

The effects of smoking commercial tobacco have been studied for decades. Therefore, we know a lot about its health impacts. Other than nicotine addiction, we know that over time smoking can cause:

• Lung damage and disease
• Various types of cancer (lung, throat, stomach, bladder, kidney and more)
• Heart disease
• Stroke

It also increase the chances of developing:

• Diabetes
• Gum disease
• Yellow teeth
• Infections
• Skin problems
• Weaker bones
• Ulcers
• Fertility and reproductive problems

Other tobacco products can cause health problems and be just as addictive as smoking. Using smokeless tobacco can lead to:

• A higher risk of pancreatic cancer
• White patches or red sores in your mouth called “leukoplakia” that can turn into mouth cancer
• Dental problems, tooth loss and gum disease

Many things are not known about vaping because it is a relatively new invention. What we do know is that for people that are already smoking, vaping seems to be less harmful to their physical health. However, vaping is not harmless and also creates a high risk for nicotine addiction. Here are some of the health concerns related to vaping:

• Can cause problems such as sore mouth or throat, cough, shortness of breath, and nausea, even when used for a short time
• Exposes people to many chemicals and heavy metals, some known to be harmful
• Affects a person’s heart, increasing the odds of developing heart and vascular diseases
• Is associated with various lung and breathing problems
• Some people have experienced severe lung illness from vaping
• Vaping high concentrations of nicotine, consuming it too frequently, or ingesting the vaping liquid can cause nicotine overdose. Depending on how much, you may feel unwell (a.k.a. feeling nic-sick) or even experience nicotine poisoning, which may require medical attention
• Vaping liquids can be absorbed through the mouth and skin and cause nicotine poisoning, especially to young kids and pets
• Although rare, defective vapes have caused fires and explosions that resulted in serious injuries
• Vaping near others or in closed spaces may expose bystanders to the chemicals from the vapour and harm their health. Early research shows people may experience breathing problems from the second-hand vapour

Oral nicotine pouches can affect the mouth, heart and blood vessels. The majority also contain chemicals known to cause cancer. Some of common the oral problems users can experience are:

• Blisters
• Dry mouth, which can lead to infections and other problems)
• Gum recessions, which may lead to cavities
• Increase in harmful mouth bacteria, increasing the risk of cancer
• Irritation and inflammation of the gums, also increasing the risk of cancer

Smoking around other people or in closed spaces also affects their health.

Second-hand smoke (smoke in the same air) is harmful to people, especially babies and children.

Non-smoking adults who are exposed to second-hand smoke have higher chances of developing:

• Heart disease
• Heart attack
• Stroke
• Lung cancer

Babies and children who are exposed to second-hand smoke get sick more often and have more:

• Risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)
• Breathing problems
• Ear infections

Third-hand smoke (smoke that stays in surfaces like clothing, furniture, carpeting, walls, etc.) exposes people to nicotine and many harmful chemicals as well. Children are more at risk because they may be crawling or putting objects in their mouths. Opening windows, using fans, smoking in just one room and regular cleaning do not remove third-hand smoke well enough. To protect others around you:

• Have a no-smoking inside rule for your home and car
• Smokers who are caregivers for children should wash their hands and wear clean clothes before holding children.

Want to learn more about protecting your child from tobacco and vaping?

Check out our Information for Families webpage

The best way to protect yourself from the harms of these products is to stay tobacco and vapour free or quit as soon as possible. For people who choose to use tobacco and vaping products and those who are not ready to quit, here are some ways to minimize the health risks of these products:

• Limit the amount of nicotine you use to reduce the risk of addiction and exposure to harmful substances. You can do that by limiting the amount of cigarettes and vaping products you have on you, restricting the times and days you allow yourself to use it, and choosing products with lower nicotine content.
• Learn to manage your cravings. Try a distraction, taking a walk, chewing gum or breathing exercises. Cravings usually pass within five minutes.
• If you vape, use only devices that have been approved for sale in Canada and do not make changes to your products. Illegal and unregulated products do not follow safety controls and can be dangerous.
• Using both cigarettes and vaping increases the risk of addiction and is more harmful than doing either one alone. Vaping, although not harmless, as far as we know is less harmful than smoking.
• Wash your hands well after handling vaping liquids and keep all containers closed to avoid spills and accidental contamination
• Keep all tobacco, vapes and vape liquids out of the sight and reach of children and pets to avoid accidental poisoning
• Smoke or vape away from other people and outdoors to avoid exposing them to second- and third-hand smoke and aerosol
• Test your home for radon gas and take action to lower your radon level

Check out these seven tips to lower your risk when using nicotine

Tobacco & Smoking

• Quash | Information and quit help app | Lung Health Foundation
• Quit Smoking | Information to quit | HealthLink BC
• QuitNow | Information and quit support | BC Lung & Government of B.C.
• What is the Single Best Thing You Can Do to Quit Smoking? | Animated Video | Dr. Mike Evans
• Supporting a Loved One  | Helping others quit | QuitNow
• Respecting Tobacco | Traditional use of tobacco information and resources | FNHA

Vaping

• Risks of vaping | Health Risks | Government of Canada
• Vaping | Information and resources | Government of BC
• Vaping | Health risks of vaping | HealthLink BC

Nicotine Pouches

• A Consumer's Guide to Oral Nicotine Pouches
• What to Know about Nicotine Pouches
• Nicotine pouches | HealthLink BC

Radon

• Radon Gas | Information and resources | Interior Health