Based on Research by Madison, et al., The Laryngoscope (2022)
In recent years, vaping has often been marketed as a safer alternative to traditional smoking. However, research shows it can harm not only your lungs but also your voice. For singers, educators, and other professional voice users, vaping’s effects on airway health, tissue hydration, and vocal fold function can undermine both breathing efficiency and healthy sound production.

How Vaping Harms the Lungs, Airway, and Voice

A 2022 study in The Laryngoscope examined the short-term effects of e-cigarette use on vocal fold physiology and respiratory function. Results showed that even brief exposure to vaping aerosol can cause airway inflammation, increase mucus viscosity, and impair mucociliary clearance, the airway’s natural cleaning mechanism. These changes make it harder for the vocal folds to vibrate freely. They can raise the phonation threshold pressure, the amount of air pressure needed to start and sustain sound.

Research on small particle lung health and vaping shows that e-liquids produce ultrafine particles that can penetrate deep into lung tissue, triggering inflammatory responses similar to those seen in chronic bronchitis. Johns Hopkins Medicine also reports that certain vaping liquids contain propylene glycol, glycerin, and flavoring agents that can dehydrate the airway lining, leading to vocal dryness, fatigue, and irritation.

Healthy singing depends on efficient breath support and vocal fold vibration. Inflammation, dehydration, and thickened mucus from vaping create extra resistance, requiring more effort from the respiratory system and laryngeal muscles. Over time, this can lead to compensatory vocal behaviors such as pushing, straining, or constricting, which increase the risk of long-term vocal injury.

If you vape, be aware that its effects are not limited to lung health; they can directly interfere with your ability to sing with ease.
Lung health matters for breath control. Inflammation, irritation, or reduced lung capacity from vaping or second-hand aerosol can limit how much air you can inhale and how steadily you can release it. This makes it harder to sustain phrases, manage dynamics, and maintain vocal stability.
Recovery from vaping-related irritation involves complete cessation, consistent hydration, and sometimes voice therapy under a qualified specialist.
Even occasional vaping before a performance can impact your stamina and vocal quality. Treat your vocal tract with the same care an athlete gives their body, avoiding harmful agents whenever possible.

The Takeaway for Your Voice: Vaping may seem less harmful than smoking, but for singers, the science tells another story.

Protect your breath, protect your voice; your artistry depends on it.

Jamea J. Sale, PhD
Director, Institute for Healthy Singing & Voice Research
Sing for a Lifetime
www.HealthySinging.org

References

Madison, T. M., Gartner-Schmidt, J., Sataloff, R. T., & Heman-Ackah, Y. D. (2022). Acute Effects of Electronic Cigarette Aerosol on Laryngeal and Respiratory Physiology. The Laryngoscope, 132(11), 2179–2185. https://doi.org/10.1002/lary.32469
Johns Hopkins Medicine. (n.d.). What Does Vaping Do to Your Lungs? Retrieved August 2025 from https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/what-does-vaping-do-to-your-lungs
Hodes, R. (2021). The Role of Small Particle Lung Health in Vaping-Related Respiratory Effects (Master’s thesis).