A young man holding a vape, with the lungs and airway drawn over his chest.

Smoking & Vaping

What smoking and vaping do to blood vessels, and what quitting gives back.

Smoking damages blood vessels directly. It stiffens artery walls, makes blood more likely to clot, and lowers the oxygen the blood can carry, which is why it shows up in almost every vascular condition on this site.

Vaping is newer and the long-term picture is still forming. What is already clear is that the benefits of stopping begin sooner than most people expect.

20%

of deaths from coronary heart disease worldwide are attributable to tobacco

WHO

1.9 million

people die from tobacco-induced heart disease each year, globally

WHO

1 year

after quitting, the added risk of coronary heart disease is half a smoker's

CDC

What quitting gives back

First months
Heart attack risk begins to drop within the first few months
Same period
Lung function improves over the same period
One year
By one year, added coronary heart disease risk is halved
Fifteen years
By fifteen years it is back to that of someone who never smoked

First months
Heart attack risk begins to drop within the first few months
Same period
Lung function improves over the same period
One year
By one year, added coronary heart disease risk is halved
Fifteen years
By fifteen years it is back to that of someone who never smoked

Reading on smoking & vaping

Conceptual illustration of a branching blood vessel in coral, pink, lavender, and violet on a cream background.

Vaping and Your Blood Vessels: What the Research Actually Shows

Vaping is often discussed as a lung issue, but blood vessels are part of the story, too. Learn what researchers have found, what remains uncertain, and how to get support for quitting.

Read