Boredom, relaxation and experimentation are among the top reasons why teens vape

Nicotine vapors are sometimes marketed as a smoking cessation aid. However, according to research from the University of Michigan, teens typically don’t turn to electronic nicotine vapes to curb their smoking habits.

The study ‘Reasons for vaping among US adolescents’ published in Pediatrics (online Nov. 12) examined school-based survey data among U.S. students in eighth, tenth, and twelfth grades, finding a mix of curiosity, boredom, and stress reduction as top motivators.

“Vaping has become the primary way adolescents use nicotine,” said author Megan Patrick of UM’s Institute for Social Research. “Understanding why adolescents vape is important to figuring out how to reduce and prevent nicotine use among teens.”

Of the 5,082 respondents, the data showed that relaxation was the most commonly cited reason, regardless of the level or frequency of vaping. Boredom also landed in the top three reasons for frequency groups.

Among 12th graders who reported vaping almost daily, a third said they vaped to feel good or because it is more convenient than cigarettes. Less than 10% of that same group said vaping helped them quit smoking cigarettes.

Nearly daily vaping in the past 30 days was reported by 1.7% of eighth graders, 4.2% of 10th graders and 7.8% of 12th graders. ‘Relaxation’ emerged as the top reason for vaping. This is cited by almost half of adolescents who have vaped in the past year and by more than 70% of almost daily vapers.

The study highlights the importance of understanding the various reasons behind teen vaping, especially the important role of stress relief. Since a large portion of near-daily vapers use vaping to relax, incorporating mental health care into prevention programs is critical.

“Our findings illustrate a shift over the past decade in the reasons why adolescents vape, from experimentation to stress relief and relaxation, highlighting key areas for intervention,” Patrick said.

Other frequently mentioned reasons are ‘experimentation’ and ‘boredom’, with ‘taste’ also scoring high. Among near-daily vapers, significant numbers noted that they vape to “feel good” or because it is “more convenient than cigarettes,” while a smaller percentage aim to “help quit smoking.”

“Of adolescents who vape almost daily, 43% report that they vape because they are addicted or have to be,” Patrick said. “The fact that so many adolescents feel addicted to nicotine is concerning. Another reason, reported by almost 1 in 5 near-daily vapers, was managing their weight. Additional research on this is needed, but parents and healthcare professionals should are aware that many adolescents vape to try to lose weight or control their weight.”

The study authors state that screening for stress and anxiety should be performed in addition to nicotine screenings to allow for early intervention. These experts also noted a shift in why adolescents vape, as 2015 data listed relaxation as only the fifth most common reason.

They argue that further research is needed to understand which adolescents vape to maintain their weight. This is reported by almost a fifth of 12th graders who vape almost daily.

Data from the Monitoring the Future study was collected between 2021 and 2023 through school web surveys with nationally representative samples of eighth-, tenth- and twelfth-grade students. The study focused on those who had vaped nicotine in the past 12 months and examined their top reasons for vaping.

“Studies like Monitoring the Future allow us to track how these behaviors and the underlying reasons change over time,” said Patrick. “We will continue to study how vaping behavior is evolving among youth, including what reasons and combinations of reasons put adolescents at greater risk for addiction and other consequences.”