Vaping exposes user to harmful levels of particulate matter, study suggests CUNY Graduate School of Public Health & Health Policy Many people believe that vaping is less harmful than smoking, but that's a common misconception. In fact, in addition to nicotine, vapes can contain toxic chemicals that could be linked to cancer, Some reports state that these new, flavored smoking devices are less harmful than tobacco cigarettes but how safe is vaping? In this third part of a four part series, China Daily examines the Will Vaping Lead Teens to Smoking Cigarettes? Johns Hopkins Medicine