High-nicotine e-cigarette use rises sharply among US young adults

· Science · United States

High-nicotine e-cigarette use rose sharply among young adults in the United States between 2017 and 2022 and was associated with increased nicotine dependence and more persistent vaping, researchers at the University of California San Diego Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science found. A separate data analysis published in the journal Tobacco Control suggests more people have likely been vaping, and more frequently, in the US since 2013–14. Together the findings point to a shift toward stronger nicotine products and more habitual use among younger users, a pattern public-health researchers track closely because of nicotine's addictive potential.

Why it matters：Rising nicotine strength and frequency among young adults signals a shift in the vaping market with long-term public-health and regulatory consequences.

Key points

  • The UCSD study covered 2017–2022 and linked high-nicotine use to more persistent vaping.
  • A Tobacco Control analysis suggests more frequent vaping in the US since 2013–14.

Sources (original reporting)

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