Is It Safe to Vape While on Birth Control?

As alternative smoking methods have become more common, our patients often ask: can you vape on birth control?

Not enough research has been conducted to show that vaping or e-cigarettes are any safer than traditional cigarettes, so the current recommendation is to treat the risk as the same for vaping and birth control. 

E-cigarettes vs. traditional cigarettes

The commonality between traditional cigarettes and e-cigarettes is the presence of nicotine. It is a highly addictive substance that raises your blood pressure and spikes your adrenaline, which as a result, increases your heart rate—all of which combined can increase your chances of having a heart attack. Additionally, smoking thickens your blood, which can lead to blood clots and stroke. Birth control also thickens your blood (although much less so), which means your heart has to work harder to pump blood throughout your body, and there’s an increased risk of blood clots and stroke. Given the side effects of both, when you combine smoking and birth control pills, things can get dangerous quickly.

Smoking and birth control

If you’re a smoker and over 35, taking a birth control method that contains estrogen (which includes any combined hormonal method) can increase your overall risk, so a doctor can assess whether a progestin-only pill would be a good fit instead. If you’re younger than 35, a doctor can probably prescribe a combination method, like the pill, patch, or ring. Of course, you can also consider non-hormonal birth control options that won’t put you at increased risk (but don’t forget what a serious health risk smoking poses in general).

Marijuana and birth control

As far as vaping marijuana, there simply hasn’t been enough research done on the topic to make a recommendation on vaping and birth control. One consideration is that smoking marijuana can lead to increased blood pressure, which, when combined with some kinds of hormonal birth controls that can also have the same effect, may increase your risk overall. But again, much more research needs to be done on this topic.

Can you vape on birth control?

So, what's the final word on vaping and birth control? Whether you vape nicotine or marijuana, it’s important that you speak honestly with your doctor about your smoking habits. This allows them to determine your risk so that you can be safely prescribed. 

Regardless of your smoking habits, you can use SimpleHealth to get a birth control prescription online. Share your health history and preferences in our doctor-designed consultation, and then a doctor will review and prescribe a birth control method that is safe and effective for you. The best part? Your birth control will be regularly shipped to your door, for free.