Why and what are teens vaping?

Reasons why teenagers are vaping

Just like with traditional cigarettes, some people start vaping due to peer pressure and the desire to fit in with others it is curiosity.

Teenagers frequently say they first tried an e-cigarette because someone offered them one and they tried it due to a mixture of wanting to appear mature or “grown-up” and not wanting to seem uptight.

In surveys, US adolescents say it is because of the flavours, of which there are now an estimated 16,000 available and the widespread advertising has made them curious about the products and so want to try them.

In the UK, the main reason stated was “to give it a try” (65%) presumably due to the widespread marketing and because they saw a friend or a family member vaping and thought, “There has to be something good about this, or why would they do it?”. The next highest response “other people use them and I join in” (11%) and “I like the flavours” (10%).

The most common reasons that teen start vaping are:

1. Peer pressure and social influence

Teens often feel pressured to fit in with their peers. If their friends or social groups are vaping, they might start as well in order to be accepted or appear cool.

2. Curiosity and experimentation

Adolescence is a time when many experiment with different behaviours, including the use of e-cigarettes.

The novelty of vaping devices, the colours and the variety of flavours can be particularly appealing to young people which is why Big nicotine has spent billions marketing vapes in this way to appear cool, sexy and modern.

3. Marketing and perceptions

Vaping is heavily marketed, sometimes directly or indirectly targeting younger audiences through social media and appealing flavours.

These marketing strategies can create the perception that vaping is less harmful than smoking traditional cigarettes and even that they are harmless!

4. Misinformation about safety

Many teens believe that vaping is a safer alternative to smoking.

Although e-cigarettes generally contain fewer toxic substances than traditional cigarettes, they are not safe, have long term health risks and can contain high levels of nicotine, which is addictive.

5. Stress and mental health

Some teens may use vaping as a way to cope with stress, anxiety, or depression.

6. Accessibility and legality

In some places, it’s easier for teens to buy vapes than cigarettes due to regulatory gaps or enforcement issues, making vaping more accessible.

Most e-cigarette liquid contains nicotine which is highly addictive.
In fact, vaping is now more popular than traditional cigarettes with 2.1 million middle and high school students in the US using the product in 2017. In the UK the number of students smoking is 300,000 and vaping is 300,000.

What are teens vaping?

Part of the reason for the growth in teen vaping is that vaping liquid, known as vaping juice, comes in many flavours.

• UK – fruit (60%), chocolate/desserts/sweet (17%), Energy drink or soft drink (5%), menthol (3%)¹⁰ .
• US – fruit (58%), menthol (54%), candy/dessert/other sweets (30%), mint (28%)²⁷

In 2023, the disposable vape was the preferred product in UK at 69% of all teen vapes (in 2021 it was 8%)

In US is is Puff Bar 15%, Vuse 13%, Hyde 6% and SMOK 4%. More than half like the UK used disposable e-cigarettes

% of US students who said they vaped during the last 30 days, 2018

Source: University of Michigan Monitoring the Future survey

The vaping devices are electronic products that heat a liquid to produce a vapour/smoke. They come in many shapes and sizes from looking like cigarettes, to USB flash drives (JUUL), to large tank system devices.

In the past year there has been significant growth in disposable vapes or elf bars and it is these that are now most popular among children per Dr Mike McKean. This has led the UK Government debate whether to ban highly flavoured vapes and elf bars due to the concerns of creating addiction in young people.

What is in vaping juice / liquid?

The first thing to say is that the liquid is far from being a healthy juice! The word juice is a term used by “Big Vape” to encourage the illusion that vaping is healthy and safe.

Vaping liquid / juice contains around 80 different chemicals.

Not one of the four main ingredients in vapes (propylene glycol, vegetable glycerin, nicotine and any number of different flavourings) are designed to be breathed into your lungs.

1. Flavourings

There’s thousands of flavours out there, but some of them have sketchy additives.

There’s one called diacetyl that makes stuff taste buttery, like in popcorn or desserts. It’s not designed to be inhaled into your lungs and it can wreck them.

They even call it “popcorn lung” because it’s so nasty.

It’s banned in some countries including UK, US & EU, but is still found in illegal vapes and legally in many countries.

2. Propylene Glycol (PG)

They use this stuff to make fake smoke for movies, but it’s also in antifreeze, not something you want to be breathing in! It’s not designed to be inhaled into your lungs and causes tremendous damage.

It can mess up your lungs and eyes.

3. Glycerin

It is used to add sweetness and although it is used in junk foods, soaps, medicines, and skin products – you’ve guessed it – it isn’t designed to be inhaled into your lungs and causes tremendous damage.