Is Vaping Better Than Smoking? American Heart Association Adolescence is a critical window for brain development. Nicotine exposure during this time increases the risk of addiction. Many young people who vape have never smoked. But those who vape are more Smoking and Vaping Among Young People Most smokers wrongly believe vaping is at least as harmful as smoking, says study Vaping now more common than smoking among young peopleand the risks go beyond lung and brain damage BMC Series blog Social Inequalities in Vaping: Why Smoking Matters