Is Vaping Haram or Makruh? Understanding Islamic Views & Health Risks

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Learn whether or not there are halal alternatives to vaping

Co-authored by Belal Elkadri and Marcus Pruitt, BS

Last Updated: October 24, 2025 Fact Checked

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• Is vaping considered haram?
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• Is vaping healthy?
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• Haram vs. Makruh
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• Are there any halal alternatives to vaping?
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• Video

|Show more |Show less

There has been lots of debate as to whether or not vaping is haram, and while some Muslims believe it's halal (or makruh), many classify it as haram due to the damage it does to your lungs. Even though it may seem like it’s makruh, in this article, we explain why it’s considered haram by many Muslims, whether or not vaping is healthy (spoiler: it's not), what makes something haram vs. makruh, and more. We do so with the help of an Islamic education expert and various psychologists, so read on for the answers to all your questions.

Is vaping haram or halal?

Vaping is haram, as it causes damage to your body. According to Islam education expert Belal Elkadri, “Haram are things that are forbidden,” and anything that causes you physical or spiritual damage is considered forbidden. Aside from vaping, cigarettes and other types of drugs are also haram.

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Section 1 of 4:

Is vaping considered haram?

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1. 
   Yes, vaping is haram, as it causes damage to your body. If something is haram, it’s forbidden by the Islamic faith because it causes harm to your body and/or spirit, and as we'll discuss later in this article, vaping can be addictive and can introduce potentially dangerous chemicals into your body. This would place it in the category of things that are haram, according to Islam education expert Belal Elkadri's definition of the term: “​​Haram are things that are forbidden, where if you do them, you get bad deeds for them, but if you stay away from them, you actually get good deeds from staying away from them.”

   • In this case, staying away from vaping may reward you with healthy lungs. If you don’t stay away from vaping, you may suffer consequences, including lung damage or trouble breathing.
   • Cigarettes and vaping were once thought to be makruh (that is, detestable, but not forbidden), but they have since been classified as haram due to the harm they do to your body.
     • Looking to kick your smoking or vaping habit? Check out our wikiHow articles on "How to Quit Smoking" and "How to Quit Vaping."

   Meet the wikiHow Experts

   Belal Elkadri is an Islamic education expert and motivational speaker who challenges the stigmas that plague the Muslim community.

   Ni-Cheng Liang, MD, is a board certified pulmonologist and the Director of Pulmonary Integrative Medicine at Coastal Pulmonary Associates. She has over 15 years of experience.

   Liana Georgoulis, PsyD, is a licensed clinical psychologist and the founder and clinical director of Coast Psychological Services. She has over 12 years of experience.
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Section 2 of 4:

Is vaping healthy?

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1. 
   No, vaping isn't healthy because it introduces irritants to the lungs. Board certified pulmonologist Ni-Cheng Liang, MD, says, “Some people think that vaping or using electronic cigarettes is a big departure from regular tobacco cigarettes, but that’s actually not the case because vaping pens and electronic cigarettes are also very harmful to the lungs."

   • Vaping hasn’t been around for as long as cigarettes, so the long-term health effects are unclear. It is known to cause inflammation and irritation in your lungs, which can lead to scarring and a host of other side effects.
   • According to licensed clinical psychologist Liana Georgoulis, PsyD, “doctors are just now beginning to understand how vaping can create respiratory problems."
   • Vaping has been found to introduce propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin to your lungs, which are toxic to cells.
   • Vapes may also contain other dangerous chemicals, like acetaldehyde, acrolein, and formaldehyde, which can cause lung and heart disease.

Section 3 of 4:

Haram vs. Makruh

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1. 
   "Haram" refers to something that is forbidden, while "makruh" is only looked down upon. According to Islamic law, if something is haram, it is not allowed, while something that is makruh is only discouraged. Things like eating pork, drinking alcohol, and doing drugs are all considered haram. Something that’s makruh, on the other hand, is something that’s strongly looked down upon in the Islamic faith, but not expressly forbidden. Some haram and makruh examples include:

   • Haram Examples:
     • Gambling
     • Stealing
     • Lying
     • Engaging in adultery
     • Engaging in violence
     • Cursing
   • Makruh Examples:
     • Wasting water
     • Eating garlic before attending the mosque
     • Belittling others
     • Excessive sleeping
     • Eating horse meat
     • Chewing gum or tasting food without swallowing as you fast.
   EXPERT TIP

   

   Belal Elkadri

   Islam Education Expert & Motivational Speaker

   Belal Elkadri is an Islamic education expert and motivational speaker based in Detroit, Michigan. Belal is passionate about challenging the stigmas plaguing the Muslim community and bridging the gap through education, and ahs worked in the non-profit space for over 10 years. As a community outreach coordinator with The Family Youth Institute, Belal helped inform Imams across the nation on a variety of research, including issues involving youth, addiction, elderly care, parenting, and mental health. He has hosted numerous webinars to honor the Prophet Muhammad in coordination with Celebrate Mercy. He has also led multiple classes on the Sabr App, a guided meditation app for Muslims, and developed courses to help the spiritual and mental health of Muslims. His work with the Muslim Enrichment Project has helped connect new converts with local mosques in addition to providing reverts with Islamic education. Belal also encouraged mosques across the nation to accommodate the special needs community as the certification manager with MUHSEN.

   

   Belal Elkadri
   Islam Education Expert & Motivational Speaker

   There's "halal" and "haram," but in between there are things that aren't black and white. The Prophet Muhammad said, "Stay far away from those shaded areas that are borderline haram." You don't want to fall into that trap of haram.
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Section 4 of 4:

Are there any halal alternatives to vaping?

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1. 1
   Some Muslims believe alternatives that contain nicotine are halal or makruh. Whether nicotine is permissible or not is something of a gray area for many Muslims. While some view vaping alternatives that contain nicotine (like ZYN pouches) as halal, others view them as makruh stepping-stones to quitting vaping altogether.
2. 
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   Others consider any vaping alternative containing nicotine to be haram. Nicotine is a highly addictive substance that can cause damage to various bodily systems, including the cardiovascular, respiratory, renal, and reproductive systems. It’s also been found to be a carcinogen in some cases. So, many Muslims view vaping alternatives that contain nicotine (such as ZYN pouches) as haram, but may consider nicotine-free alternatives to be acceptable.
3. 
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   Others believe that any vapor-inhaling device is haram, even if it doesn’t have nicotine. Even zero-nic vapes are considered haram by many Muslims, as the ingredients in them, like propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin, are damaging to the body. These ingredients carry chemicals that can irritate the lungs and facilitate disease, especially if they aren’t purchased from licensed smoke shops. For many people, this makes them haram by definition.

   • As with alternatives that contain nicotine, nicotine-free vaping devices are in sort of a gray area for many Muslims: some may view it as halal, while others may consider it makruh.
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