Nicotine itself is not particularly dangerous and smoking cigarettes with no nicotine would be just as bad for your lungs. The main with it is the addiction however there is bo clear link between long term use of nicotine itself and any significantly negative health outcomes.
It's not far-fetched to assume that this substance is not atypical and educated people make in general more health-conscious choices.
[1] https://moleculeofmore.com/