Is vaping healthier than smoking?

Close up of a pair of hands holding smoking parafernalia. In the left hand is a vape pen and in the right hand there is a handful of cigarettes.

Electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDs), also known as electronic cigarettes, e-cigarettes or vape pens, were introduced in the early 2000s as an alternative to tobacco products. Instead of generating smoke, these pocket-sized devices deliver nicotine with an aerosol that looks like water vapor. But are vape pens "'healthier"' than cigarettes?

It depends. Experts told Live Science that they agree that "vaping" poses a small fraction of the risks of smoking. However, they stress that vape pens are not entirely safe, and we still do not know enough about the long-term effects of e-cigarette use.