I'm pretty sure the jury is still out on vaping. My friend who is a recovering alcoholic with a 25-year chip uses one, and has used nicotine ever since she first started going to AA, so I wouldn't dream of pressing her not to. But it hasn't been around nearly long enough to be able to state unequivocally its safety in terms of long term effects. I think it's a good option though.

On the topic of addiction and alcohol, I personally think it just depends on the degree. For someone who is truly a chronic addict (has been addicted to multiple substances, heavier substances, has mixed them liberally, etc.), using alcohol becomes very unlikely to be an innocuous activity in their lives. Distorted thinking comes with drunkenness, and bad decisions are more easily come by. For someone who was more mildly addicted (to only one thing, non-opiate, not chronically), it can still be true but there can be more leeway.

Speaking from, among other things, having been married to an addict no longer with us whom I believe would have had a far greater chance at staying straight and alive had he not been able to convince himself that he could handle alcohol. Seems like it should be no big deal, right?