Vaping Statistics: Analyzing the Trends and Impact on Students
Public health advocates raised the alarm when youth vaping rates surged between 2014 and 2019. These trends are continuing, with new USC research showing that youth who continue to vape are showing signs of worsening addiction. To follow up on those trends, a team of researchers from the USC Institute for Addiction Science and the Tobacco Center of Regulatory Science analyzed data from surveys completed by 115,191 teens in the 8th, 10th and 12th grade across the United States. The findings can help policymakers and regulators determine how best to protect young people. This article delves into the current statistics surrounding student vaping, exploring the trends, demographics, potential health implications, and the evolving landscape of nicotine consumption among young individuals.
Key Trends in Youth Vaping
Recent data reveals several concerning trends in youth vaping habits. Notably, between 2020 and 2024, the share of current users who vaped every day increased from 15.4% to 28.8%. Over the same period, the share of daily users who tried to quit but were unable to rose from 28.2% to 53%.
Rise in Daily Vaping
Among youth who reported vaping at least once in the past 30 days, the percentage who vaped daily increased from 15.4% in 2020 to 28.8% in 2024. This indicates a significant escalation in the frequency of vaping among young users.
Increased Addiction Severity
The rise in daily vaping and growing number of youth trying to quit implies that these youth are experiencing a severe level of nicotine addiction. This suggests that the addictive properties of e-cigarettes are having a stronger hold on young users, making it increasingly difficult for them to quit.
Demographic Shifts in Vaping Prevalence
Over the study period, the demographics of youth vapers also changed. By 2024, more vapers were female, non-Hispanic Black or from a rural area.
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Rural Communities
Among youth in rural communities, daily vaping jumped dramatically-from 16.4% in 2020 to 41.8% in 2024, a spike that has prompted the study team to examine further. This disparity highlights the need for targeted interventions in rural areas to address the rising rates of youth vaping.
Factors Influencing Vaping Trends
Several factors contribute to the observed trends in youth vaping, including product innovation, marketing strategies, and perceptions of risk.
Evolution of Nicotine Delivery
New generations of vapes can deliver higher concentrations and volumes of nicotine than earlier versions. “The nicotine industry is constantly evolving-changing the size, concentration and size of products-and youth may not be aware of the high quantities of nicotine they’re consuming,” said Masonbrink, who is also a member of the USC Institute for Addiction Science.
E-cigarette marketing
Appealing characteristics of e-cigarette marketing in the retail environment among adolescents. (2025). Investigating an e-cigarette brand’s use of music festivals for social media campaigns and experimental marketing. Tobacco Prevention & Cessation, 11. (2024). Pac-Man on a vape: electronic cigarettes that target youth as handheld multimedia and gaming devices. Tobacco Control. Advance online publication. (2024). Youth attention, perceptions, and appeal in response to e-cigarette advertising features: A focus group study. Preventative Medicine Reports, 44, 102345. (2024). Vaping devices with video games. Substance Use & Misuse. 59(14), 2149-2150.
Health and Safety Concerns
Vaping poses several health risks, particularly for young people whose brains are still developing. These risks range from nicotine addiction to respiratory and cardiovascular issues.
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Nicotine Addiction
Nicotine addiction and intensity of e-cigarette use by adolescents in the US, 2014 to 2021. JAMA Network Open, 5(11),e2240671.
Oral Health Implications
(2024). Effects of vape use on oral health: A review of the literature. Medicina (Kaunas). 60(3), 365. (2022). A comparison of the caries risk between patients who use vapes or electronic cigarettes and those who do not: A cross-sectional study. Journal of the American Dental Association. 153(12), 1179-1183. (2024). Preliminary evidence of impaired oral wound healing in e-cigarette users: A call for perioperative vaping cessation. Evidence-Based Dentistry. 25(2), 63-64. (2019) Effects of electronic cigarettes on oral cavity: A systematic review. Journal of Evidenced-Based Dental Practice. 19(4), 101318. (2025). Halitosis among users of electronic nicotine delivery systems in a multi-center cross-sectional study. Scientific Reports. 15(1),20287. P. (2025). The effects of electronic smoking on dental caries and proinflammatory markers: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers Oral Health. 6, 1569806. (2023). The risk profile of electronic nicotine delivery systems, compared to traditional cigarettes, on oral disease: A review. Frontiers in Public Health. 11, 1146949.
Exposure to Harmful Chemicals
(2017). Aldehyde detection in electronic cigarette aerosols. ACS Omega. 2(3), 1207-1214.Constantino, S., Torre, A., Randazzese, S.F., et al. (2024). Association between second-hand exposure to e-cigarettes at home and exacerbations in children with asthma. Children (Basel), 11(3),356. (2023). Metal concentrations in e-cigarette aerosol samples: a comparison by device type and flavor. Environmental Health Perspectives, 131(12). (2025). Elevated toxic element emissions from popular disposable e-cigarettes: sources, life cycle, and health risks. ACS Central Science. Advanced online publication.
EVALI
(2020). The EVALI and youth vaping epidemics - Implications for public health. New England Journal of Medicine. 382(8), 689-691.
Seizures
(2020). Adverse experience reports of seizures in youth and young adult electronic nicotine delivery systems users. Journal of Adolescent Health. 66(1), 15-17.
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Burn Injuries and Explosions
(2018). Burn injuries caused by e-cigarette explosions: a systematic review of published cases. Tobacco Prevention & Cessation. 4, 32. (2021). E-cigarette burns and explosions: What are the patterns of oromaxillofacial injury? Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. 79(8), 1723-1730.
Association between regular electronic nicotine product use and self-reported periodontal disease status: Population assessment of tobacco and health survey. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.
Regulatory and Policy Interventions
In response to the rising rates of youth vaping, policymakers and regulators are exploring various interventions to curb the trend and protect young people.
FDA and CBP Actions
(2025). FDA and CBP Seize Nearly $34 Million Worth of Illegal E-Cigarettes During Joint Operation. Food & Drug Administration.
Legislation
Congress. (2025, July 10). S.R. 119-37 - 119th Congress (2025 - 2026): Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, 2026.
Public Health Campaigns
Department of Health and Human Services (2024). E-Cigarette Use Among Youth. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). Notes from the Field: E-Cigarette and nicotine pouch use among middle and high school students - United States, 2024.
Searchable Tobacco Products Database
Food and Drug Administration. (2024, March 28). FDA launches searchable tobacco products database.
Strategies for Quitting
New research shows that medications for nicotine addiction, such as varenicline, are effective in helping young people quit.
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