When used in tobacco products
Vanillin ultimately masks the harshness of the tobacco when smoking. This acts as a disguise to the smoker and can make smoking taste enjoyable and increases the risk of addiction. Vanillin is also known to release substances when heated. These include polycyclic aromatic hydro carbons, which have been classed as human cancer causing agents.
Vanillan and Medicine
Chemists use vanillin in many mixtures, such as to make L-dopa, the Parkinson's disease drug, the antibacterial compound trimethoprin, and the heart drug papaverin. Vanillin solutions are also used to develop thin layer chromatography plates which shows different types of compounds in different colours. This ultimately benefits human health and vanillin can be used to develop future medication.