Teens Who Vape Are More Likely to Start Smoking SPH Vaping vs Smoking: Effects and Tips for Protecting Your Lungs Max Hospital Many young people who vape did not smoke cigarettes before they started vaping. But young people who vape are more likely to start smoking cigarettes than those who never vape. For help Just How Harmful Is Vaping? More Evidence Is Emerging. The New York Times Vaping has overtaken cigarettes as the dominant nicotine risk for young people. The 2025 Monitoring the Future survey of 24,000+ US students confirms what schools have been seeing for years: 31% of