What is EVALI? Definition & Quitting Guide

EVALI refers to severe lung injury linked to vaping that is significantly affected by tobacco and nicotine product use. 2,807 hospitalized cases and 68 deaths in 2019-2020 outbreak per CDC, highlighting the serious public health burden of smoking and vaping. The condition develops through vitamin E acetate and other additives damage lung tissue causing severe inflammation, illustrating the direct biological pathway between nicotine use and health harm.

Medical research has extensively documented the relationship between smoking/vaping and EVALI. The evidence is clear and compelling: using tobacco and nicotine products substantially increases your risk for this condition. What many users do not fully appreciate is how quickly damage can occur and accumulate. Even short-term use can initiate disease processes, while long-term use makes these conditions progressively worse. The human body was not designed to inhale smoke or vaporized chemicals, and EVALI is one of the consequences of this exposure.

The good news is that lung function improves within weeks of stopping vaping. This is one of the most powerful reasons to quit—your body has remarkable healing capacity once you stop exposing it to tobacco and vaping toxins. While the damage from EVALI may seem frightening, quitting at any point provides health benefits. It is never too late to quit, and the improvements to EVALI can be dramatic and life-changing.

• EVALI is severe lung injury linked to vaping
• 2,807 hospitalized cases and 68 deaths in 2019-2020 outbreak per CDC
• Mechanism: vitamin E acetate and other additives damage lung tissue causing severe inflammation
• Directly linked to smoking and vaping
• lung function improves within weeks of stopping vaping

EVALI represents a serious health consequence of tobacco and nicotine use. vitamin E acetate and other additives damage lung tissue causing severe inflammation, creating measurable harm to your body. 2,807 hospitalized cases and 68 deaths in 2019-2020 outbreak per CDC, demonstrating that this is not a rare or unlikely outcome but a common consequence affecting many users. The severity and progression of EVALI is directly related to duration and intensity of smoking or vaping, making early cessation particularly important.

• Understand that lung function improves within weeks of stopping vaping
• Speak with your healthcare provider about assessing your risk for EVALI
• Use health concerns about EVALI as motivation to set a quit date
• Track improvements in symptoms after quitting to see your progress
• Remember that quitting at any age provides health benefits related to EVALI