A compelling simulation video recently shared on YouTube vividly illustrates the damage tobacco smoke does to the lungs. In the demonstration, cotton-filled domes are exposed to simulated “breathing” of cigarette and vape smoke over time. The contrast is shocking—and serves as an important wake‑up call about the dangers of inhaling anything beyond clean air.
The Experiment Setup
The content creator, Chris Notap, used two identical glass domes equipped with inhalation machines. Inside each dome were cotton balls acting as a stand‑in for lung tissue. One dome received smoke from traditional cigarettes, while the other was filled with vapor from e-cigarettes. The inhalation mimicked a regular month of consumption—30 packs of cigarettes in one jar and approximately 60 vape cartridges in the other.
What the Visuals Show
Cigarette Smoke
Within just ten packs of cigarettes, the jar became immersed in dark, tar-coated smoke, turning the cotton into a sticky brown mess. After 30 packs, the residue clogged the pump entirely. Notap described the jar’s smell as “vile” and noted that he felt physically ill opening it.
Vape Cloud
In contrast, the e‑cigarette jar appeared much cleaner. The vapor produced a white cloud with only mild—if any—discoloration on the cotton. Even after a month’s equivalent of vaping, the cotton remained mostly white. Notap emphasized: “anything you put in your lungs is bad for you,” and that vaping should only be used strictly as a tool to quit smoking.
Immediate Effects on Lungs
When you inhale cigarette smoke, over 7,000 chemicals—including known carcinogens like formaldehyde, arsenic, and ammonia—are delivered deep into the lungs. The sticky tar coats the airways, paralyzing cilia (microscopic hairs) that normally clear mucus and debris. This leads to inflammation, narrowed air passages, coughing, and difficulty breathing.
Vapour: Not Harmless
Although vaping is less damaging than smoking, it still poses risks. Vapour contains nicotine along with compounds such as propylene glycol and flavorings. Some additives—like diacetyl—can cause bronchiolitis obliterans, also known as “popcorn lung.” Vaping can similarly paralyze cilia, leading to mucus build-up and increasing susceptibility to lung infection. The NHS also warns that while vaping is “substantially less harmful than smoking,” it is “unlikely to be totally harmless”.
Long-Term Consequences
Smoking
- Cardiovascular Effects: Nicotine constricts blood vessels, elevating blood pressure and forcing the heart to work harder—risking heart disease and stroke.
- Cancer and Organ Damage: Carcinogens mutate DNA, heightening the chance of cancers in the lungs, mouth, throat, and bladder. Damage isn’t limited to lungs; organs like the liver, arteries, and heart are affected.
- Respiratory Conditions: Chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and COPD slowly degrade lung capacity and function over time.
Vaping
Although safer, vaping can still promote lung inflammation and respiratory illness (e.g., wheezing, chest tightness). Effects may be less extreme than smoking but can still be severe—especially when unregulated additives are involved.
Real-Life Impact
Many viewers have reported that witnessing the transformation of the cotton jars was enough to prompt them to quit smoking. Comments from the video include:
“Sir you just scared some sense into me. Thank you!”
“Okay I think I’m gonna stop smoking cigarettes.”
Quitting: The Road to Recovery
The human body is remarkably resilient once smoking ceases. Within hours of quitting, blood pressure drops, and within weeks lung function begins to improve. Longer-term abstinence significantly lowers the risk of fatal conditions like cardiovascular disease and cancer . Vaping can sometimes aid smoking cessation—but must be used strictly as a stepping-stone, not a permanent alternative.
Final Thoughts
The stark visuals from the simulation are a powerful reminder: smoking inflicts immediate and cumulative damage on nearly every organ. While vaping may produce cleaner visuals, it still harms lung health. Ultimately, the only harmless substance to breathe is clean air. If you want to quit, the sooner you stop, the faster your body starts repairing—and your future health improves.
