Scientists have proven that every nicotine product kills the heart — trendy pouches and vapes too

For a long time, it was believed that the main harm to the heart was caused by smoke and tobacco combustion products, while nicotine was only responsible for addiction.

But now experts agree: nicotine is a poison for the cardiovascular system. It makes the heart beat faster, increases blood pressure, and literally erodes the inner lining of our blood vessels.

This conclusion was reached by an international group of cardiologists from Germany, Italy, the USA, Great Britain, and Switzerland (the results of their work were published in the scientific journal European Heart Journal).

The study was based on the analysis of numerous clinical data and experiments. Scientists concluded that nicotine is harmful even without smoke: it provokes inflammation and makes blood vessels inelastic, which eventually leads to heart attacks and strokes.

How nicotine damages our body

To understand the scale of the problem, one needs to look at the endothelium — a thin layer of cells that lines our blood vessels from the inside. It can be compared to a smart health guardian that ensures blood flows smoothly and blood vessels dilate in time.

Nicotine — whether you smoke it, vape it, or place it under your lip — breaks this mechanism through what is called oxidative stress. Blood vessels lose their ability to relax, which can cause atherosclerosis. This effect is observed even after a single hookah session or e-cigarette use.

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Alarming figures

The researchers' data show the true scale of the threat:

• 7.7 million people die annually worldwide from the consequences of nicotine use.
• In Europe, the economic losses from nicotine addiction (treatment and loss of working capacity) exceed 300 billion euros per year.
• Up to 40% of European teenagers have already tried e-cigarettes.
• Even passive exposure (breathing vape vapor) causes blood vessel damage in children after just a few minutes.

What do scientists say?

The position formulated based on the scientists' conclusions is uncompromising:

"We must stop the illusion that 'safe' forms of nicotine exist. Be it a stylish vape, a pouch under the lip, or a hookah in a cafe — for your heart, it's the same blow. Nicotine is not just a means of delivering addiction; it is a biologically active toxin that gradually destroys the blood vessels of everyone who consumes it or even simply breathes it nearby."

What do scientists propose?

Scientists urge politicians to take bold steps: banning flavored vapes that attract children, introducing uniform taxes on all nicotine products, and expanding smoke- and vapor-free zones.

Already in July 2025, the European Commission introduced new tax rules that will affect vapes and nicotine pouches across the EU for the first time. This is a step towards ensuring that the new generation does not fall into the trap of "clean" addiction, which can be just as dangerous and deadly as regular cigarettes.

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