Studies find rising high-nicotine vaping and dependence among young US adults

· Health · United States

Researchers at the University of California San Diego's Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health found that high-nicotine e-cigarette use rose sharply among young adults between 2017 and 2022 and was associated with increased nicotine dependence and more persistent vaping. Separately, a data analysis published online in the journal Tobacco Control suggests that substantially more people in the U.S. have likely been vaping, and vaping more frequently, since 2013–14. Together the findings point to a shift toward higher-strength products and heavier use patterns, rather than a simple rise in experimentation. The results come as regulators and public health officials weigh how to treat high-nicotine devices, which are central to the vaping industry's product mix.

Why it matters：Shifting vaping patterns toward high-nicotine, more frequent use will feed into how regulators treat devices and nicotine levels, directly shaping product rules for the e-cigarette industry.

Key points

  • The UC San Diego study covered young adults from 2017 to 2022.
  • The Tobacco Control analysis found more people vaping, and more frequently, in the U.S. since 2013–14.

Sources (original reporting)

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