What’s more surprising than seeing a Hollywood starlet in designer clothing? Catching them with a neon-pink vape in hand. The faces that look out from the covers of magazines with ideal teeth and glowing complexions are, off-camera, taking to a vice that’s raising some eyebrows–in some cases, a check from the dentist.
Vaping perhaps began as a “healthier” option to smoking, but it’s now world-wide with more than 100 million users based on the World Health Organization. And celebrities, regardless of wellness-brand promotions and green juice sessions, are in no way exempt. From A-list celebrities concealing the habit in Private spaces to pop legends crediting pregnancy for quitting, the accounts range as widely as they are shocking.
Beyond the gossip, there’s a darker side: experts warn of risks ranging from gum disease to lung damage. Here’s a look at the stars who’ve been caught or confessed and the health truths they can’t filter out.
1. Lily James’ Expensive Vape Habits
The Mamma Mia! star, best known for her bright smile, confessed she had to get her first filling because of flavoured vapes. “Apparently, it’s because of flavoured vapes, sugar-laden. They damaged my teeth,” she told the Daily Mail. Dentists explain how, although e-liquids do not actually consist of sugar, the sweet flavourings found in them are acidic, grinding away the enamel, then leaving teeth vulnerable to decay. Science proves that vaping can also cause dry mouth, gum recession, as well as increased build-up of plaque, all of which accelerate dental erosion.
2. Confessions of Katie Piper’s Bathroom
Loose Woman panel member admitted on an ITV podcast that she had a secret vaping habit from the downstairs lavatory, stealing off to indulge in it. “Richie hates it. Seriously,” she said, reflecting on the conditions of their relationship that had included quitting cigarettes. Her anecdote highlights the addictive potential of vaping despite among individuals who had successfully quit cigarettes and supports WHO’s worry about e-cigarettes attracting millions of young people into the grip of nicotine.
3. Kylie Jenner’s Smoke Rings on Snapchat
Her Instagram may be immaculate, but her Snapchat tells a different story. Last year, Kylie filmed herself in her vehicle vaping with smoke-ring stunts. Free-spirited in front of the camera, experts caution that flavourful vapes can disrupt mouth microbiota, exposing users to the risk of gum disease as well as cavity accumulation again, with repeated use.
4. Katy Perry’s Pregnancy Reset
The pop superstar has been spotted with both cigarettes and vapes in the past, but she credits pregnancy in 2020 with breaking her addictions. “When you stop drinking and smoking and start creating a baby your body is like ‘Well thanks for treating me nice for one day,’” she joked on Australia’s Fifi, Fev & Byron show. Her experience mirrors public health advice: quitting nicotine entirely offers the best chance for long-term wellness.
5. Katie Price’s Broken Promise
In January she had promised to give up the vape in her mum’s name after she’d received a transplant because she’d had to give up smoking. “I’m giving up this addictive device,” she had posted on Instagram. However, months later she was snapped taking hits at home. The NHS advises people to refrain from vaping in the presence of young people, as Price’s dilemma illustrates how hard it can be to resist peer pressure.
6. Fans of Emilia Clarke
The Game of Thrones star was photographed vaping in London and on Italian vacation but never had a word to say about it. Fans on X showed disapproval, with one writing, “I thought she didn’t.” The unimpressed reaction of Clarke echoes the larger picture: celebrities shy away from talking about vaping, perhaps because they don’t want to ruin their good-guy image.
7. Leonardo DiCaprio’s Awards-Show Habit
From the SAG Awards to the Oscars, DiCaprio has been spotted that way with his vape at the table sometimes in contravention of venue policy. As it’s become one of his offbeat traits, studies relate vaping to elevated inflammatory markers in the mouth that hint at eventual damage to gum tissues.
8. On-Set Juul Drama of Sophie Turner
The Game of Thrones veteran prefers the flavour ‘crème brûlée’ and even uses vaping to prepare for character. Costar Jennifer Lawrence shared with Jimmy Kimmel that Turner once broke down in tears during filming after she had her Juul confiscated giving her performance a hilarious dose of realism unintentionally. Flavoured e-liquids, though, are found to be more harmful to mouth bacteria compared to unflavoured e-liquids.
9. Lily Allen’s Brand Backlash
Allen’s recreational poolside vaping became contentious when she endorsed a vaping company on Instagram. The Advertising Standards Authority in the UK subsequently had the posts deleted. Her case highlights ethics around celebrity endorsements, in particular, endorsing products that have had associations with addiction as well as mouth illness risk.
10. Angela Rayner’s ‘Vape Dragon’ Nick
The former Deputy Prime Minister admitted that her children call her a ‘vape dragon’ and she wishes she didn’t. “Kids need to understand that vaping isn’t the future,” she told Sky News. Her candour is the opposite of the silence of other public figures, but the message is clear: the craving costs too much in ways that go deeper than the material.
11. Cara Delevingne’s Road to
The supermodel was photographed vaping courtside in 2014 but since then has talked about kicking the habit. “I feel like I’ve got my power back,” she reported to The Sunday Times. Her transformation is consistent with studies that found that giving up vaping can help salivary function as well as decrease risk of oral disease.
12. Kate Garraway’s Instant Addiction
The TV host used to be a smoker but had given up years ago but acquired a vape during one of her shoots in 2023 and became “immediately hooked.” She then moved to nicotine sprays and gum, acknowledging how quickly disposable vapes can get people addicted. Experts explain that their portability and sweet tastes make them highly addictive. Behind the glam teams and orchestrated feeds, these tales bear a collective truth: vaping is not as innocent as it seems. Dental decay, lung injury, or the subtle pull of dependency the side effects are real, and even the most self-controlled celebrities can’t escape them. Their stories might yet be the warnings that induce fans to rethink reaching for a vape.
