Vaping Has These 5 Celebs In A Total Chokehold

The historic allure of smoking cigarettes seems to be waning, according to U.S. data from the National Center for Health Statistics. However, that doesn't mean consumers have turned away from nicotine vehicles. On the contrary, some have simply switched to (or started) vaping, including quite a few celebrities. Take singer Selena Gomez, for instance. In 2026, Gomez warned fans that vaping had altered the way she sounded. "I'm not gonna be able to change my voice," she explained in a now-unavailable Instagram video (via ABC News). She also pleaded with her followers not to start vaping, even if they were trying to quit smoking, calling vaping "so stupid."

Can vaping actually transform the quality of a person's voice, as Gomez asserts? Internal medicine physician Dr. Tim Tiutan answered Gomez's video on an Instagram reel. "Vaping can inflame and dry out your vocal cords," he affirmed. Otolaryngologist Dr. Paul Kwak had a similar reaction when asked about the connection between vaping and vocal changes by Today. "People think if they vape, it's going to be much, much less injurious to the voice," noted Dr. Kwak. "From a vocal health standpoint, it's not."

Fortunately, Gomez announced in her original video that she quit vaping, so it's possible that some or all of her vocal cord damage could be reversed. However, five other stars who started vaping have had considerable trouble stopping, leaving them in the chokehold of this addictive habit.

Between smoking and vaping, which is worse for you? For reality TV judge Simon Cowell, the answer seems clear, even though both carry health risks. Before 2016, Cowell reportedly smoked around 80 cigarettes daily. However, after he started vaping, he scaled back his cigarette usage to once every few weeks. "The idea is to cut down on the number [of cigarettes I smoke]," he told The Sun.

In a 2026 interview with The Times, Cowell acknowledged that he hasn't stopped vaping, despite the many lifestyle adjustments he made to improve his health. "This is the only thing that got me off cigarettes," he explained. "And I was on nearly two packs a day, for a very long time."

Cowell is just one of many people worldwide who have used vapes as a smoking cessation strategy. Per a 2026 report from Action on Smoking and Health, 3.3 million people in Great Britain chose to ditch their cigarettes by picking up vapes. However, only about one-third of those who gave up smoking for vaping have been able to quit vaping as well.

For singer Doja Cat, constant vaping led to throat surgery in 2022. In a now-deleted post on X, she explained that a doctor had removed an abscess from one of her tonsils (via Page Six). Then, she described the procedure in graphic detail. In the comments, a fan reportedly asked her to stop vaping, since Doja Cat had named vaping as a reason for her problem. Doja Cat responded that she was, indeed, going to stop vaping, adding, "Hopefully i dont [sic] crave it anymore after that."

By all accounts, Doja Cat wasn't successful in kicking her vaping habit. In 2023, she was spotted vaping at the Met Gala. Three years later, she livestreamed a video of her vaping while claiming she was going to quit.

Though it might seem as though saying goodbye to vaping would be easy, it's not. Vapes contain nicotine, which is an addictive substance. Consequently, people like Doja Cat who try to stop vaping may experience a myriad of unpleasant nicotine withdrawal symptoms, such as heightened anxiety, restlessness, irritability, trouble concentrating, and fatigue.

When you're a singer like Lola Young, you depend on having a healthy respiratory system — if you don't, you risk disappointing fans by being unable to fulfill your touring and recording obligations. But Young has found herself with respiratory troubles that she said were caused by vaping.

Taking to TikTok in 2026, Young told her followers, "My lungs feel like they're battery powered, like they're just one big battery, and breathing feels like a chore." Yet she didn't seem as fazed by the experience as people might expect; at the end of her video, she joked that she was going to quit in her 40s (two decades removed from the TikTok).

Young might be taking her situation lightly, but her issue is a sign that a person should stop vaping. Here are two reasons why: First, a 2025 review in Tobacco Induced Diseases found that people who used vaping devices were more likely to develop respiratory problems such as wheezing and difficulty breathing than those who didn't. Additionally, when they're used for an extended period, vapes can increase the risk of asthma and scars on the lungs, a condition called "popcorn lung" due to its past link to microwave popcorn.

Actor Leonardo DiCaprio has vaped for at least a decade since he used vaping in an apparent attempt to quit smoking cigarettes (he once told Parade that a previous attempt at quitting by using a nicotine patch had failed), and the megastar keeps being caught on camera with a vape in hand. In fact, DiCaprio pretty consistently has engendered criticism and controversy related to being seen vaping at all sorts of events. 

Case in point: In 2016, the New York Daily News pointed out that wherever DiCaprio went, his vape was sure to tag along for the ride. The media outlet made a point of focusing on his vaping at the Screen Actors Guild Awards, and the Daily News wasn't the only publication to make note of his behavior. The Independent also wrote about his decision to vape. Even the American Lung Association used the moment as a warning to the public about the health dangers of vaping, calling his actions "deeply troubling" (via TMZ).

Since that time, DiCaprio has continued making headlines as a celebrity who's known for vaping. That said, he hasn't addressed his habit publicly. But word on the street has it that DiCaprio moved to a newer form of e-cigarette, which is still a type of vaping device.

After years of smoking, actor Tom Hardy swapped his cigarettes for electronic versions. Accordingly, he's been spotted with a vape, including between film takes while he was in costume on set. And the author of a 2016 Esquire UK interview with Hardy made mention of him vaping during their conversation. Hardy even went as far as asking for his personalized movie set trailer to be stocked with strawberry ice cream-flavored vapes in 2024, according to The Sun.

In 2025, Hardy acknowledged to Esquire UK that his health wasn't as solid as it once had been. Once again, he vaped during the discussion, which turned to aging-related ailments such as sciatica and plantar fasciitis. Although Hardy's track record of playing physically demanding roles may have exacerbated his medical issues, his vaping might also have affected how well Hardy's body recovered from his demanding and athletic lifestyle. 

For example, psychiatry expert Dr. Surita Rao explained to CT Insider that vapes can contribute to ongoing health problems. Additionally, she noted that nicotine could slow mental function. However, Hardy didn't mention any trouble with his cognition during his 2025 interview other than a feeling of dizziness he attributed to having a respiratory illness.