An Australian study suggests that e-cigarettes are probably carcinogenic

A study from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Sydney, recently published in the journal Carcinogenesis, shows that e-cigarettes containing nicotine pose a possible carcinogenic risk to the mouth and lungs, independently of their role as a gateway to nicotine and tobacco addiction.[1]. In a press release, cancer researchers state that the conclusion is unequivocal, even though it will take decades for clinical studies to accumulate, allowing for an estimation of the possible risk in humans.

Carcinogenic markers in aerosol and tissues

From 2017 to 2019, researchers considered the evidence insufficient to classify vaping as a carcinogenic product.

In 2024-2025, the consensus reversed, and the safety of vaping in terms of carcinogenic risk was no longer tenable: experiments on mice showed carcinogenic effects on the lungs and bladder induced by the aerosol, and dentists reported oral cancers in non-smokers who vaped.[2].

The UNSW study compiled a dataset spanning from 2017 to mid-2025, including mouse studies, case reports, human biomarker studies, and a chemical analysis of the ingredients in nicotine-based e-cigarettes: volatile organic compounds (such as formaldehyde and acrolein), heavy metals (such as nickel and chromium), and cytotoxic chemical flavorings (such as cinnamaldehyde), which can be inhaled more than 70,000 times a year and for which there is no established risk threshold. These substances exhibit the WHO's ten "key characteristics of carcinogens.".

Blood and urine tests in vapers confirm the absorption of carcinogenic substances, while DNA mutations and precancerous biomarkers (inflammation, oxidative stress) are observed in oral and lung tissues.

Experts recommend strengthening the analysis and regulations of these products.

No direct epidemiological data yet quantifies the potential excess of cancers among exclusive vapers. As with tobacco, it will take decades to establish this. The study calls for massive cohorts of "pure vapers" and immediate funding for scientific research to detect cancers early and confirm their causal link with vaping.

Freddy Sitas and Assistant Professor Bernard Stewart, lead researcher, warned against any delay in action regarding e-cigarettes, stating that early warning signs of deadly health risks were similarly ignored for smoking for almost a century, allowing tobacco companies to spread the nicotine epidemic and maximize their profits.

" Electronic cigarettes were introduced about twenty years ago. We shouldn't wait another 80 years to decide how to proceed. »" explained Sitas.

Following this study, public health experts discussed possible courses of action against vaping and unanimously concluded that promoting its use as a smoking cessation tool is not without health consequences for the user. Becky Freeman, a public health researcher at the University of Sydney who was not involved in the study, stated that it was important to minimize the risk of future harm now by helping people stop vaping and curbing the supply.[3].

In response to this study, Rodrigo Córdoba, a family physician, associate professor at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Zaragoza, member of the semFYC Tobacco Group, and delegate of the National Committee for Tobacco Prevention, believes that these results should lead to strict regulations, identical to those governing traditional tobacco. He also emphasizes the need to raise awareness among the general public, and especially young people, about the risks associated with these products.[4].

Josep Maria Suelves, a researcher at the UOC Digital Health Centre Laboratory, a member of the board of directors of the Public Health Society of Catalonia and the Balearic Islands, and vice-president of the National Committee for Tobacco Prevention, called for the adoption of new measures to prevent young people from vaping, including better regulation of its promotion and marketing, limiting the use of attractive flavors and designs, banning the sale of disposable electronic cigarettes or "puffs," and subjecting vaping to taxation proportional to its negative impact on public health.

Finally, Córdoba warned that "« The industry is doing everything it can to discredit any scientists who publish this type of article that jeopardizes their formidable businesses, and this must be taken into account. »[5], within the context of increased global industrial interference aimed at expanding the market for new nicotine products.

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[1]Bernard W Stewart, Henry Marshall, Billie Bonevski, Hayley J Griffin, Ashley M Hopkins, Malinda Itchins, Cassandra J Mazza, Natansh D Modi, Marissa Ryan, Megan Varlow, Freddy Sitas, The carcinogenicity of e-cigarettes: a qualitative risk assessment,Carcinogenesis, Volume 47, Number 1, published March 30, 2026, accessed March 31, 2026

[2]Shabani DB, Dula LJ, Dalipi ZS, Krasniqi MS, Meto A, Knowledge and Perceptions of Dentists Regarding E-Cigarettes: Implications for Oral Health and Public Awareness and Education, Dent J (Basel), published March 10, 2025, accessed April 2, 2026

[3]Lauren Roberts, Vaping likely to cause cancer, new Australian review of evidence finds, ABC, published March 30, 2026, accessed March 31, 2026

[4]A review of studies warns of the carcinogenic potential of nicotine-containing e-cigarettes, SMC Spain, published on March 30, 2026, accessed on March 31, 2026

[5]P. Pérez, Long-term mouth and lung cancer, the trace of e-cigarettes in the body, El Mundo America, updated March 30, 2026, accessed March 31, 2026

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