Selena Gomez says vaping has changed her voice. Can e-cigarettes really affect your vocal cords

Selena Gomez warned fans in a 2026 Instagram video that vaping had altered her voice, saying, "I'm not gonna be able to change my voice," and called vaping "so stupid" (Health Digest via ABC News). Internal medicine physician Dr. Tim Tiutan responded that "vaping can inflame and dry out your vocal cords," and otolaryngologist Dr. Paul Kwak told Today, "People think if they vape, it's going to be much, much less injurious to the voice. From a vocal health standpoint, it's not" (Health Digest). Gomez said she had quit vaping, so some or all of the damage could be reversible (Health Digest).

Other celebrities have reported respiratory and vocal issues linked to vaping. Doja Cat underwent throat surgery in 2022 after a doctor removed an abscess from one of her tonsils; she said vaping was a reason for the problem and vowed to quit, but was seen vaping at the 2023 Met Gala and again in a 2026 livestream (Health Digest via Page Six). Singer Lola Young posted on TikTok in 2026, "My lungs feel like they're battery powered, like they're just one big battery, and breathing feels like a chore," and joked she would quit in her 40s (Health Digest). A 2025 review in Tobacco Induced Diseases found vapers more likely to develop wheezing and difficulty breathing, and long-term use can increase asthma risk and cause lung scarring known as "popcorn lung" (Health Digest).

Simon Cowell said vaping helped him cut down from nearly two packs of cigarettes a day to once every few weeks, telling The UK Sun, "This is the only thing that got me off cigarettes," though he acknowledged in a 2026 Times interview he had not quit vaping (Health Digest). Action on Smoking and Health reported 3.3 million people in Great Britain switched from smoking to vaping, but only about a third have quit vaping as well (Health Digest). Leonardo DiCaprio has vaped for at least a decade and faced criticism from outlets including the American Lung Association, which called his public vaping "deeply troubling" (Health Digest via TMZ). Tom Hardy swapped cigarettes for vapes, requested strawberry ice cream-flavored vapes on set in 2024 per The UK Sun, and in a 2025 Esquire UK interview noted health issues including sciatica and plantar fasciitis while vaping during the conversation; psychiatrist Dr. Surita Rao told CT Insider that vapes can contribute to ongoing health problems and nicotine could slow mental function (Health Digest).