E-cigarettes containing nicotine are sometimes promoted as an aid to quit smoking. However, according to research from the University of Michigan, teenagers usually do not choose to use nicotine e-cigarettes to curb their smoking habits. Although e-cigarettes are also nicotine-free, many people are still attracted to nicotine e-cigarettes.

The study “Why American Teens Use E-Cigarettes” was published in Pediatrics (online November 12). The study analyzed school survey data of eighth, tenth and twelfth graders in the United States and found that curiosity, boredom and stress relief are the main driving factors for teenagers to use e-cigarettes.

E-cigarette use has become the main way for teenagers to use nicotine. Understanding why teenagers use e-cigarettes is crucial to understanding how to reduce and prevent nicotine use among teenagers. ”

Megan Patrick, author, Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan

In the interviews with 5,082 e-cigarette enthusiasts, the data showed that regardless of age, many people followed because they were curious and their friends were trying it. Boredom also ranked in the top three in the frequency group.

In the report, among 12th graders who vape almost every day, one-third said they vape to feel good or because it is more convenient than cigarettes. Less than 10% of the same group of students said e-cigarettes helped them quit smoking. Many people try it and like it because of the people around them.

1.7% of 8th graders, 4.2% of 10th graders, and 7.8% of 12th graders said they vaped almost every day in the past 30 days. Nearly half of students who vaped in the past year and more than 70% of teens who vaped almost every day mentioned “relaxation” as the top reason for vaping. The study highlights the importance of understanding the various reasons behind teen vaping, especially the important role of stress relief. Given that a large proportion of people who vape almost every day use e-cigarettes to relax, it is critical to include mental health support in prevention programs. Many students choose e-cigarettes to relieve stress due to environmental issues.

“Our findings suggest that the reasons for teens to vape have shifted over the past decade, from novelty to stress relief and relaxation, highlighting key areas for intervention,” Patrick said.

Other reasons frequently mentioned by students included “novelty” and “boredom,” with “flavor” also high on the list. Among those who vaped nearly every day, a significant number said they vaped to “feel good” or because it was “more convenient than cigarettes,” while a smaller number said their goal was to “help quit smoking.”

“Among teens who vape almost every day, 43% said they vape because they are addicted or have to and can’t quit anytime soon,” Patrick said. “The fact that so many teens are addicted to nicotine is concerning. Almost one in five teens who vape almost every day said another reason they vape is for weight control. Further research is needed in this area, but parents and health care professionals should be aware that many teens vape to lose weight or control weight, but this is not a strong proof that vaping can help.”

The study authors believe that stress and anxiety screenings should be done along with nicotine screenings to provide early intervention. These experts also noted a shift in the reasons teens vape, as data from 2015 showed relaxation was only the fifth most common reason.

They argue that further research is needed to understand teens who vape to manage their weight — nearly one in five 12th graders vape almost every day. It would be better to guide them to make their own choices as adults.

Data for the Monitoring the Future study were collected from 2021 to 2023 through an in-school web survey of a nationally representative sample of eighth, 10th and 12th graders. The study focused on people who had vaped nicotine e-cigarettes in the past 12 months and explored their main reasons for vaping.

“Studies like Monitoring the Future allow us to track how these behaviors and their underlying causes change over time,” Patrick said. “We will continue to study how youth e-cigarette behavior evolves, including which causes and which combinations of causes make teens more vulnerable to addiction and other consequences.”

The study was funded by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism and the National Institute on Drug Abuse. E-cigarettes are a difficult item to define. They can help people who smoke cigarettes quit smoking, and they can also make those students attracted to e-cigarettes, but no matter what, their own control is the most important.