Vaping may seem safer than smoking but your heart could tell a different story

The popularity of e-cigarettes is higher than ever - but that's not necessarily a good thing

- This article, written by Preeti Mahato, Lecturer in Global Health, Royal Holloway, University of London and Anusha Seneviratne, Lecturer in Health Studies, Royal Holloway University of London, originally appeared in The Conversation.

You may have heard that vaping is the “safer” choice than smoking. But what if the very thing designed to protect your health also puts your heart at risk?

Vaping does not exist in isolation. It is part of a wider story about smoking, inequality and the growing burden of heart disease in the UK. Even after years of public health campaigns, smoking remains common in the country's most deprived areas.

The reasons are complex. People living with financial strain, insecure jobs and chronic stress are more likely to smoke. Targeted marketing and limited access to stop-smoking services make it even harder to quit. At the same time, one in two UK adults have high cholesterol, and many do not know it. Reports show that people in the poorest communities have the highest rates of smoking and other risk factors for cardiovascular disease, including raised cholesterol.