Vaping: Does It Really Cause Cancer?

Vaping: Does It Really Cause Cancer?

From Science Vs by Spotify Studios

April 23, 2026 · 43 min

About this episode

This episode explores the controversial claims about vaping and its potential link to cancer, featuring insights from several experts.

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…

People in this episode

Host: Wendy Zukerman

Guests: Bernard Stewart, Lion Shahab, Becky Freeman

Topics covered

  • vaping
  • cancer
  • health risks
  • tobacco
  • smoking cessation
  • scientific debate

Keywords

  • vaping
  • cancer
  • smoking
  • Big Tobacco
  • health risks
  • scientific study
  • quit smoking

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Big Tobacco, Spotify Studios

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