Different nicotine products carry different levels of risk. Understanding where each product falls on the continuum can help you make informed decisions about your health.

Cigarettes carry the highest health risks of all nicotine products.

As you move from right to left on the chart, the level of harm decreases. Nicotine gum, patches, and lozenges pose significantly less risk than combustible products. The lowest level of risk is to use no nicotine at all.

The “risk” in the many nicotine products is mostly from how it is delivered. Cigarettes have over 7000 toxic compounds (commonly known as “tar”) which are created by burning many of which cause cancer or other diseases. Vaping or heated tobacco products avoid the problem of burning but still have chemicals that that carry the nicotine and added flavors to your lungs. Some new vaping devices have as much nicotine as five packs of cigarettes and can be more addictive than cigarettes. Pouches or lozenges may be the safest way to deliver nicotine, but they also contain high concentrations of nicotine.

Using both cigarettes and e-cigarettes — known as dual use — will not reduce your health risk, especially if you continue to smoke regularly. The biggest health benefits come from fully switching to a lower-risk product or quitting entirely. Even so, cutting down on cigarettes can be a first step toward reducing harm, as long as you have a plan to go further.

Note: Using both cigarettes and lower-risk products like e-cigarettes (known as dual use) does not offer the same health benefit as switching completely. The greatest reduction in harm comes from fully replacing cigarettes with a less harmful option.