Selena Gomez says vaping affected her voice as she urges others to quit

Singer and actor Selena Gomez says she believes nicotine vaping changed her voice. In a video shared on Instagram, she described quitting as difficult and urged people not to start vaping.

Gomez, known for “Only Murders in the Building,” said she had vaped nicotine heavily and felt her voice had changed. “Nicotine is so hard to quit,” she said, adding that she hoped her experience might encourage others to avoid vaping.

She also said she had stopped vaping and was glad to have quit, while acknowledging that it had been difficult.

What is known about vaping and the voice

Research has not established conclusive evidence about how vaping affects a person’s voice. However, studies cited in the source report that people who vape have described symptoms including dryness, coughing, breathing issues, irritation and poorer vocal quality.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says e-cigarettes are not safe and that many contain nicotine and other chemicals. The agency says scientists still have much to learn about the short- and long-term health effects of e-cigarette use. It also says e-cigarettes should not be used by young people or pregnant women, and encourages people who vape to quit. The CDC notes that vapes have not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration as an aid to smoking cessation.

The American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery is cited as associating vaping with increased risks of addiction, depression, anxiety and hyperactivity.

Youth vaping trends

A study in JAMA Pediatrics reported that youth vaping decreased from 1.62% to 0.21% between 2014 and 2024. It also found that, since 2021, girls aged 15 to 17 have vaped more than boys. These figures describe the study’s reported youth vaping measure, not all young people.

Gomez said she hoped others facing difficulties with vaping could get through them, as she had.