Vaping Diary of a Chimney Kid What's really in a vape? Vape water vapor. What e cigarettes actually release is aerosol packed with harmful substances: nicotine that hooks you, formaldehyde linked to cancer, toxic metals like lead and nickel, and chemicals that irritate What's REALLY in your cigarette or vape? You're not just inhaling nicotine. Cigarettes contain arsenic, ammonia, and formaldehyde yes, the same stuff used to embalm bodies. Vapes? Heavy metals, toxic chemicals, What Are the Differences Between an E Cigarette and a Vape Kit?