E-Cigarette Use in Teens: Recent Trends and Future Implications

Authors

  • Haasini Potluri Tower Hill School
  • Dr. Srinivas Muvvala Yale University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47611/jsrhs.v14i1.8471

Keywords:

vaping, high school, addiction treatment, nicotine addiction, e-cigarette use

Abstract

E-cigarette use has recently surged among youth and teens in the U.S, with retail sales projected to reach $8.8 billion in 2024.  The appeal of sweet, fruity flavors and advancements in e-cigarette technology contribute to the rising prevalence of vaping among teens. This review explores the components and evolution of e-cigarettes, focusing on the increased nicotine potency and addictiveness of modern devices. The analysis includes the impact of flavored e-liquids, nicotine delivery mechanisms, and aerosol temperatures on youth health. Additionally, the paper examines the misconceptions surrounding the safety of vaping and highlights the role of social media and peer influence in promoting e-cigarette use. Finally, the review discusses intervention strategies, including social media campaigns, school-based programs, and policy measures aimed at curbing this growing public health crisis. 

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biography

Dr. Srinivas Muvvala, Yale University

Dr. Muvvala is an Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Associate Program Director for the Addiction Psychiatry Residency at the Yale School of Medicine. He is the Medical Director of the Substance use & Addiction Treatment Unit (SATU) at the Connecticut Mental Health Center. His research and clinical interests are in investigating and disseminating optimal therapies for the treatment of opioid, tobacco and alcohol use disorders and in providing comprehensive treatment for individuals with co-occuring addiction and psychiatric disorders.

References or Bibliography

AAP Youth Tobacco Cessation Case Studies. (2024, May 7). AAP. Retrieved September 27, 2024, from https://www.aap.org/en/patient-care/tobacco-control-and-prevention/youth-tobacco-cessation/aap-youth-tobacco-cessation-case-studies/

Ali, F. R. M., Seidenberg, A. B., Crane, E., Seaman, E., Tynan, M. A., & Marynak, K. (2023). E-cigarette Unit Sales by Product and Flavor Type, and Top-Selling Brands. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 72(25), 1. http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7225a1

The Associated Press. (2023, June 23). FDA warns stores to stop selling Elf Bar, the top disposable e-cigarette in the U.S. NPR. https://www.npr.org/2023/06/23/1183932096/fda-warns-stop-selling-elf-bar-disposable-e-cigarette

Benowitz NL, St Helen G, Liakoni E. Clinical pharmacology of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS): Implications for benefits and risks in the promotion of the combusted tobacco endgame. J Clin Pharmacol. 2021;61(Suppl 2):S18–s36.

Birdsey J, Cornelius M, Jamal A, et al. (2023). Tobacco Product Use Among U.S. Middle and High School Students — National Youth Tobacco Survey. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2023;72:1173–1182. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7244a1

Buu A, Hu YH, Wong SW, Lin HC. Comparing American college and noncollege young adults on e-cigarette use patterns including polysubstance use and reasons for using e-cigarettes. J Am Coll Health. 2020 Aug-Sep;68(6):610-616. doi: 10.1080/07448481.2019.1583662. Epub 2019 Mar 25. PMID: 30908151.

Chadi N, Hadland SE, Harris SK. Understanding the implications of the "vaping epidemic" among adolescents and young adults: A call for action. Subst Abus. 2019;40(1):7-10. doi: 10.1080/08897077.2019.1580241. Epub 2019 Mar 18. PMID: 30883295; PMCID: PMC6583912.

Chen G, Rahman S, Lutfy K. E-cigarettes may serve as a gateway to conventional cigarettes and other addictive drugs. Adv Drug Alcohol Res. 2023 Jun 30;3:11345. doi: 10.3389/adar.2023.11345. PMID: 38389821; PMCID: PMC10880776.

E-Cigarettes, Vapes, and other Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS). (2024, May 31). FDA. Retrieved September 27, 2024, from https://www.fda.gov/tobacco-products/products-ingredients-components/e-cigarettes-vapes-and-other-electronic-nicotine-delivery-systems-ends

E-Cigarette Use Among Youth | Smoking and Tobacco Use. (2024, May 15). CDC. Retrieved September 27, 2024, from https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/e-cigarettes/youth.html

Glantz S, Jeffers A, Winickoff JP. Nicotine addiction and intensity of e-cigarette use by adolescents in the US, 2014 to 2021. JAMA Network Open. 2022;5:e2240671.

Gorukanti A, Delucchi K, Ling P, Fisher-Travis R, Halpern-Felsher B. Adolescents' attitudes towards e-cigarette ingredients, safety, addictive properties, social norms, and regulation. Prev Med. 2017 Jan;94:65-71. doi: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2016.10.019. Epub 2016 Oct 20. PMID: 27773711; PMCID: PMC5373091.

Graham AL, Amato MS, Cha S, et al. Effectiveness of a vaping cessation

text message program among young adult e-cigarette users: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA Intern Med. 2021;181:923–930.

Instrument: Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND). (n.d.). NIDA CTN Common Data Elements. Retrieved September 27, 2024, from https://cde.nida.nih.gov/instrument/d7c0b0f5-b865-e4de-e040-bb89ad43202b

Jackler RK, Ramamurthi DNicotine arms race: JUUL and the high-nicotine product marketTobacco Control 2019;28:623-628.

Jankowski M, Krzystanek M, Zejda JE, Majek P, Lubanski J, Lawson JA, Brozek G. E-Cigarettes are More Addictive than Traditional Cigarettes-A Study in Highly Educated Young People. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019 Jun 27;16(13):2279. doi: 10.3390/ijerph16132279. PMID: 31252671; PMCID: PMC6651627.

Jones K, Salzman GA. The Vaping Epidemic in Adolescents. Mo Med. 2020 Jan-Feb;117(1):56-58. PMID: 32158051; PMCID: PMC7023954.

Kamal, M. A. & Raghunathan, V. A. Modulated phases of phospholipid bilayers induced by tocopherols. Biochim. Biophys. Acta – Biomembr. 1818, 2486–2493 (2012).

Kosarac I, Kubwabo C, Katuri GP, Petraccone D, Mischki TK. Vitamin E Acetate Determination in Vaping Liquids and Non-targeted Analysis of Vaping Emissions of Diluents of Concern, Vitamin E Acetate and Medium-Chain Triglycerides Oil. Front Chem. 2021 Dec 13;9:756745. doi: 10.3389/fchem.2021.756745. PMID: 34966718; PMCID: PMC8710514.

Leventhal AM, Strong DR, Kirkpatrick MG, et al. Association of electronic cigarette use with initiation of combustible tobacco product smoking in early adolescence. JAMA. 2015;314(7):700-707. doi:10.1001/jama.2015.8950

Liu J, Roberts J, Reynolds MJ, Hanby E, Gundersen DA, Winickoff JP, Rees VW, Emmons KM, Tan ASL. Barriers and facilitators to address vaping in Massachusetts schools: a mixed-methods study of school-based stakeholders. Transl Behav Med. 2023 Aug 11;13(8):589-600. doi: 10.1093/tbm/ibad012. PMID: 37084410; PMCID: PMC10415734.

Lyu, J.C., Olson, S.S., Ramo, D.E. et al. Delivering vaping cessation interventions to adolescents and young adults on Instagram: protocol for a randomized controlled trial. BMC Public Health 22, 2311 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-14606-7

Meza R, Jimenez-Mendoza E, Levy DT. Trends in tobacco use among adolescents by grade, sex, and race, 1991-2019. JAMA Network Open. 2020;3:e2027465.

Narimani M, da Silva G. Does 'Dry Hit' vaping of vitamin E acetate contribute to EVALI? Simulating toxic ketene formation during e-cigarette use. PLoS One. 2020 Sep 3;15(9):e0238140. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0238140. PMID: 32881943; PMCID: PMC7470376.

National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (2018). Nicotine - Public Health Consequences of E-Cigarettes. NCBI. Retrieved September 27, 2024, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK507191/#

Outbreak of Lung Injury Associated with the Use of E-Cigarette, or Vaping, Products | Electronic Cigarettes | Smoking & Tobacco Use | CDC. (2021, August 3). CDC Archive. Retrieved September 27, 2024, from https://archive.cdc.gov/www_cdc_gov/tobacco/basic_information/e-cigarettes/severe-lung-disease.html

Resources to Help Youth Reject or Quit Vaping. (2024, May 15). CDC. Retrieved September 27, 2024, from https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/e-cigarettes/youth-quitting.html

Social Media and Teens. (n.d.). AACAP. Retrieved September 27, 2024, from https://www.aacap.org/AACAP/Families_and_Youth/Facts_for_Families/FFF-Guide/Social-Media-and-Teens-100.aspx

Truth Initiative. (n.d.). Truth Initiative: inspiring lives free from smoking, vaping, and nicotine. Retrieved September 27, 2024, from https://truthinitiative.org/

Tsai J, Walton K, Coleman BN, Sharapova SR, Johnson SE, Kennedy SM, Caraballo RS. Reasons for Electronic Cigarette Use Among Middle and High School Students - National Youth Tobacco Survey, United States, 2016. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2018 Feb 16;67(6):196-200. doi: 10.15585/mmwr.mm6706a5. PMID: 29447148; PMCID: PMC5815490.

U.S Food and Drug Administration. (2020, January 2). FDA finalizes enforcement policy on unauthorized flavored cartridge-based e-cigarettes that appeal to children, including fruit and mint. FDA. Retrieved September 27, 2024, from https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-finalizes-enforcement-policy-unauthorized-flavored-cartridge-based-e-cigarettes-appeal-children

Vape Flavors and Vape Juice: What You Need to Know. (n.d.). Johns Hopkins Medicine. Retrieved September 27, 2024, from https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/vape-flavors-and-vape-juice-what-you-need-to-know

Vaping Devices (Electronic Cigarettes) DrugFacts. (2020, January 8). National Institute on Drug Abuse. Retrieved September 27, 2024, from https://nida.nih.gov/publications/drugfacts/vaping-devices-electronic-cigarettes

Weaver SR, Huang J, Pechacek TF, Heath JW, Ashley DL, Eriksen MP. Are electronic nicotine delivery systems helping cigarette smokers quit? Evidence from a prospective cohort study of U.S. adult smokers, 2015–2016. PLOS ONE. 2018;13(7):e0198047. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0198047

Why Youth Vape | Smoking and Tobacco Use. (2024, May 15). CDC. Retrieved September 27, 2024, from https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/e-cigarettes/why-youth-vape.html

Wu, D. & O’Shea, D. Potential for Release of Pulmonary Toxic Ketene from Vaping Pyrolysis of Vitamin E Acetate. (2019). doi:10.26434/CHEMRXIV.10058168.V2

Zhu S-H, Sun JY, Bonnevie E, et al. Four hundred and sixty brands of e-cigarettes and counting: Implications for product regulation. Tob Control. 2014;23 Suppl 3:iii3-iii9. doi:10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2014-051670

Published

02-28-2025

How to Cite

Potluri, H., & Muvvala, S. (2025). E-Cigarette Use in Teens: Recent Trends and Future Implications. Journal of Student Research, 14(1). https://doi.org/10.47611/jsrhs.v14i1.8471

Issue

Section

HS Review Projects