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Are Nicotine Free Vapes Safe?
Health Guides
Nicotine-free vapes are increasingly popular, particularly among vapers stepping down their nicotine intake. But removing nicotine does not automatically make a product risk-free. Here is an honest breakdown of what the evidence currently says.
0mg
Nicotine Content in a Nicotine-Free Vape
3
Main Ingredients in Most E-Liquids
2
Primary Base Liquids: PG and VG
The basics
What Is a Nicotine-Free Vape?
A nicotine-free vape, sometimes called a 0mg vape, is simply a vaping product that contains no nicotine in its e-liquid. The device, the delivery mechanism and the vapour production are the same as any other vape. The only difference is that the liquid has been formulated without the nicotine that is present in standard e-liquids.
Nicotine-free options are used by a few different groups. Vapers who are actively stepping down their nicotine intake use them as the final stage before stopping entirely. Some people also use them recreationally, drawn to the flavour experience without wanting the dependency that comes with nicotine. A smaller group uses them for the hand-to-mouth ritual and the throat sensation as a substitute for stress-related habits.
Important: We would not recommend nicotine-free vapes to people who have never smoked or vaped before. If you are not already a smoker or established vaper, there is no health benefit and no compelling reason to start. This article is directed at existing smokers and vapers making informed choices.
What is actually inside them
The Ingredients in Nicotine-Free E-Liquids
Understanding whether nicotine-free vapes are safe requires understanding what they actually contain. Without nicotine, the core ingredients of a compliant UK e-liquid are these:
Propylene Glycol
PG
A colourless, odourless liquid used as a base carrier in e-liquids. PG is also widely used in pharmaceutical products, food additives and cosmetics. It produces the throat sensation associated with vaping and carries flavour effectively. Research to date has not identified PG as a significant health risk at the concentrations used in e-liquids, though it can cause mild irritation in people with sensitivities.
Vegetable Glycerin
VG
A naturally derived liquid that produces the visible vapour clouds associated with vaping. VG is used in food production, pharmaceuticals and personal care products. It is generally considered low risk but produces a sweeter, thicker vapour than PG. High-VG liquids are popular in sub-ohm devices. Evidence on inhaling VG repeatedly over long periods is limited but current research does not flag it as a significant hazard at typical vaping concentrations.
Flavourings
Food-grade compounds
This is the most complex ingredient category and the one that attracts the most scientific scrutiny. E-liquid flavourings are derived from food-grade compounds but inhalation is a different route of exposure to consumption. Some flavouring compounds, notably diacetyl which was historically used to create a buttery flavour, have been associated with respiratory problems. Diacetyl is now banned in UK e-liquids under the Tobacco and Related Products Regulations. Compliant UK manufacturers must submit their complete ingredient lists to the MHRA, providing a degree of oversight that does not exist in unregulated markets.
The honest assessment
So Are They Actually Safe?
The honest answer is that nicotine-free vapes carry fewer risks than nicotine-containing vapes, which in turn carry significantly fewer risks than smoking tobacco. That progression is well supported by the available evidence. However "safer than smoking" and "safe" are not the same thing.
Inhaling any substance repeatedly into the lungs carries some degree of risk. The long-term research on vaping is still developing because the category is relatively new. What we know from short and medium-term research is that the ingredients in compliant UK e-liquids do not appear to cause the severe harms associated with tobacco smoke. The toxic and carcinogenic byproducts of combustion that make cigarettes so dangerous are absent.
For a smoker switching to nicotine-free vaping as a step-down tool, the risk profile compared to continuing to smoke is substantially in favour of making the switch. For someone who has never smoked, the risk-benefit calculation looks different because there is no health problem being solved.
"The key question is always: compared to what? For a smoker, switching to nicotine-free vaping represents a meaningful reduction in harm. For a non-smoker, it introduces risk where none existed."
Touch of Vape team, Coventry01
For smokers stepping down
Using nicotine-free vapes as the final stage of reducing nicotine dependency is a well-established approach. The NHS recommends a gradual reduction in nicotine strength as an effective quitting strategy. Nicotine-free vapes support that process by maintaining the vaping habit while eliminating the chemical dependency.
02
For established vapers exploring
Vapers who enjoy certain flavours or the social aspect of vaping may choose nicotine-free options for some sessions. The risk profile for established vapers switching between nicotine and nicotine-free products is not materially different from using nicotine-containing liquids.
03
For people with health conditions
People with specific cardiovascular conditions or who are pregnant may be advised to avoid nicotine. Nicotine-free vaping removes that particular concern but does not eliminate all others. Anyone with a health condition should discuss vaping with their GP before starting.
04
For non-smokers
We do not recommend nicotine-free vapes for people who have never smoked or vaped. There is no established health benefit and the research on long-term inhalation of vapour, while reassuring compared to smoking, does not support introducing risk where none existed.
In our Coventry store
How We Handle Nicotine-Free Products in Store
We stock a range of nicotine-free e-liquids and disposables at our Coventry store and we're happy to discuss the options with any customer who is considering them. Our advice is always tailored to the individual: their history with smoking or vaping, their reasons for considering nicotine-free products and any specific concerns they have about ingredients.
We always ask whether a customer has smoked before. We do not sell nicotine-free vaping products to people who have never smoked on the basis that there is no justification for introducing any level of vaping habit in that situation. This is a position we hold firmly regardless of the commercial opportunity.
Touch of Vape Coventry
Ask Our Coventry Team About Nicotine-Free Options
Whether you are stepping down your nicotine intake or simply want to understand the options available, we are happy to talk through what is right for your specific situation.
To find out what nicotine-free products we currently stock, visit our Vape Shop Coventry page for our location, opening times and a guide to the brands we carry.
Further reading
More From Our Health Guide
This article is one of many we have written to help vapers and prospective vapers understand the health evidence around vaping. The Health guide is where we collect all of our evidence-based content.
Part of our Health guide
Health Guides
Our Health guide covers the most commonly asked questions about vaping and health, written by our team with reference to NHS guidance and peer-reviewed research.
This article sits within our broader Health guide, where we address the health questions that come up most often from customers in our Coventry store. From ingredients to long-term safety evidence, it is all there.
More from our Health Guides
Related Health Articles
Have a Question About Vaping and Health? Ask Us in Store.
We give honest, evidence-based answers and we will always tell you what we don't know as well as what we do.