How Much Do You Know About Vaping? – 101 Statistics about Vaping
Interested in learning more about vaping? We know finding facts and figures about vape pens and vaping can be time-consuming and frustrating, so we put together this list of the top 101 facts, notes, and statistics so you can easily reference them and refer back to them any time in the future. This space is constantly changing, so if you see a fact that is not up-to-date, feel free to let us know. And if you know a stat that we should add, let us know that too!
1. Vaping is less harmful than Smoking, but it’s still not safe.
1. Vaping is less harmful than Smoking, but it’s still not safe. E-cigarettes heat nicotine (extracted from tobacco), flavorings and other chemicals to make the aerosol you inhale. Regular tobacco cigarettes contain 7,000 chemicals, many of them toxic.
2. Research suggests vaping is bad for your heart and lungs.
Nicotine is the primary agent in both regular cigarettes and e-cigarettes, and is highly addictive. It causes you to crave for smoke and suffer symptoms of withdrawal if you ignore your cravings.
3. Electronic Cigarettes are just as addictive as traditional ones.
Both e-cigarettes and regular cigarettes contain nicotine, which research suggests can be as addictive as heroin and cocaine.
4. Electronic Cigarettes aren’t the best smoking cessation tool.
Although they have been marketed as an aid to help you quit smoking, e-cigarettes have not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration as smoking cessation devices.
5. A new generation is getting hooked on nicotine
In 2015, the U.S. surgeon general reported that the use of e-cigarette among high school students had increased by 900 per cent, and 40 percent of young e-cigarette users had never smoked regular tobacco.
6. Vaping is the inhaling of a vapor created by an electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) or other vaping device.
That’s why using e-cigarettes is called “vaping.”
7. Vaping puts nicotine into the body.
Nicotine is highly addictive and can slow brain development in adolescents and affect memory, concentration, learning, self-control, attention and mood, and increase the risk of other types of addiction later in life.
8. Some people use e-cigarettes to vape marijuana, THC oil, and other dangerous chemicals.
Besides irritating the lungs, these drugs also affect the way someone thinks, acts, and feels.
9. There are different kinds of e-cigarettes.
But many people are using Juul. This e-cigarette looks like a flash drive and can be charged to the USB port of your laptop.
10. Even if you don’t vape every day, you can still get addicted.
How quickly someone gets addicted is different. Some people get addicted even if they’re not steaming every day.
11. Most e-cigarettes do have nicotine. Even those that don’t do have chemicals in them.
These chemicals can cause irritation and damage to the lungs. The long-term effects of e-cigarettes that do not have nicotine are not known.
12. One should quit vaping because it has unknown health effects.
The long-term health consequences of vaping are unknown. Recent studies have reported serious lung damage to people who have vaporized, and even some deaths.
13. One should quit vaping because it can cause addiction.
Addiction in the growing brain may set up pathways for later dependence on other substances.
14. One should quit vaping because of the curiosity about using other tobacco products.
Studies show that vaping makes it more likely that someone will try other tobacco products, such as regular cigarettes, cigars, hookahs, and smokeless tobacco.
15. One should quit vaping because it brings toxins in the body.
Vapor made from e-cigarettes is not made from water. Vapor contains harmful chemicals and very fine particles, which are inhaled into the lungs and exhaled into the environment.
16. One should quit vaping because this might affect your athletic performance.
You want to do your best in sports, and vaping can lead to inflammation of the lungs (irritation).
17. One should quit vaping because it’s an expensive habit.
Vaping is expensive! The cost of cartridges is starting to add up over time. Instead, you might be able to spend that money on other things you need or enjoy.
18. Electronic cigarettes look similar to regular cigarettes since they glow when they are inhaled.
They do not produce smoke, but rather an aerosol known as vapor.
19. E-cigarettes do deliver nicotine as a liquid through the END.
There is a nicotine cartridge inside the END that holds the flavored liquid. When the liquid is heated, it turns into an aerosol or a vapor that is inhaled by the user and exhaled into the environment.
20. The ENDS of the E-cigarettes can come in many different shapes and sizes, and they even go by different names.
Names include vape pens, electronic hookahs, hookah pens, and personal vaporizers.
21. Most people choose e-cigarettes to help them kick the smoking habit.
In fact, the use of e-cigarettes and vaping has tripled during the year 2013-2014, according to the Health District compass, in middle and high schools.
22. According to the World Health Organization, it is deemed unsafe for pregnant women to use or be around E-cigarettes due to possible damage to the fetus.
The organization also stated that the exposure of nicotine to bystanders also increased due to ultrafine aerosol particles.
23. Most e-cigarettes contain nicotine.
Nicotine is highly addictive and can harm adolescent brain development, which continues in the early to mid-20s.
24. E-cigarettes come in many shapes and sizes.
Most of them have a battery, a heating element, and a place to hold a liquid.
25. Some e-cigarettes look like regular cigarettes, cigars, or pipes.
Some of them look like USB flash drives, pens, and other everyday objects. Larger devices, such as tank systems or ‘mods,’ do not look like other tobacco products.
26. E-cigarettes are known by many different names.
They are sometimes referred to as “e-cigs,” “e-hookahs,” “mods,” “vape pens,” “vapes,” “tank systems,” and “electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS).”
27. The liquid used in e-cigarettes often contains nicotine and flavorings.
This liquid is sometimes referred to as “e-juice,” “e-liquid,” “vape juice” or “vape liquid.”
28. JUUL is a brand of e-cigarette that is shaped like a USB flash drive.
Like other e-cigarettes, JUUL is a battery-powered device that heats a nicotine-containing liquid to produce an inhaled aerosol.
29. All JUUL e-cigarettes have a high level of nicotine.
According to the manufacturer, a single JUUL pod contains as much nicotine as 20 regular cigarettes.
30. Although JUUL is currently the top-selling e-cigarette brand in the United States, other companies sell e-cigarettes that look like USB flash drives.
Examples include MarkTen Elite, a nicotine delivery device, and PAX Era, a delivery device that looks like JUUL.
31. Some e-cigarette labels do not disclose that they contain nicotine.
Some e-cigarettes marketed as containing 0 percent nicotine have been found to contain nicotine.
32. Nicotine can harm the developing adolescent brain.
The brain continues to develop until around the age of 25.
33. Each time a new memory is created or a new skill is learned, stronger connections – or synapses – are built between brain cells.
Young people’s brains are building synapses faster than adult brains. Nicotine changes the way in which these synapses are formed.
34. Some of the ingredients in e-cigarette aerosol could also be harmful to the lungs in the long-term.
For example, some e-cigarette flavorings may be safe to eat but not to inhale because the intestine can process more substances than the lungs.
35. Children and adults have been poisoned by swallowing, breathing, or absorbing e-cigarette liquid through their skin or eyes.
Approximately 50% of calls to poison control centers for e-cigarettes are made nationally for children 5 years of age or younger.
36. It is difficult for consumers to know what e-cigarette products contain.
Some e-cigarettes marketed as containing zero percent nicotine, for example, have been found to contain nicotine.
37. In 2020, most youth who reported using e-cigarettes used flavored varieties (82.9%).
Among high school students currently using any type of flavored e-cigarette in 2020, the most commonly used flavors are fruit (73.1%), mint (55.8%), menthol (37.0%) and candy, desserts or other sweets (36.4 percent ).
38. On January 2, 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) finalized an enforcement policy that prohibits the sale of prefilled cartridge e-cigarettes in any flavor other than tobacco or menthol, unless authorized by FDA.
Since then, the FDA has taken additional steps to prevent certain companies from selling youth-appealing, flavored disposable e-cigarettes and flavored e-liquids without authorisation.
39. Many young people who use e-cigarettes also smoke cigarettes.
There is some evidence that young people using e-cigarettes may be more likely to smoke cigarettes in the future.
40. E-cigarettes also can be used to deliver other drugs, including marijuana.
Approximately one-third of U.S. middle and high school students who have ever used e-cigarettes reported using marijuana in the device in 2016.
41. Heated tobacco products (HTPs) such as IQOS and Eclipse, sometimes marketed as “heat-not-burn” technology, are a diverse class of products that heat tobacco leaves to produce inhaled aerosols.
They are different from e-cigarettes that heat a liquid that may contain tobacco-derived nicotine.
42. HTPs are available in at least 40 countries and several have been authorized for sale in the United States by the FDA.
Few U.S. adults (2.4% of all those surveyed, including 6.7% of those currently smoked) had ever used HTPs in 2018. In 2020, 1.4% of U.S. middle and high school students combined reported using heated tobacco products in the last 30 days.
43. Scientists are still learning about the short-term and long-term health effects of HTPs.
However, the available science shows that they contain harmful and potentially harmful ingredients. Youth use of any tobacco products, including heat products, is unsafe.
44. They’re very small and look like household objects.
The Juul, for example, looks like a flash drive.
45. According to data from the California Healthy Kids Survey, the vast majority of Orange County students are not vaping.
This is the good news. But national rates are rising—and fast.
46. A study released in December by the National Institute on Drug Abuse revealed that nearly 1 in 3 high school seniors reported using some kind of vaping device in the year prior.
The use of e-cigarettes has roughly doubled that of traditional cigarette use in all age categories.
47. That vape pens and other devices can be so easily concealed is a serious problem for schools.
The biggest challenge is the culture of vaping and the perception that it is a safe and trendy alternative to smoking cigarettes.
48. Nicotine exposure can harm brain development in ways that may affect the health and mental health of our kids
While the heating of propylene glycol and flavorings may produce formaldehyde and other carcinogens, long-term health effects are still being studied by researchers.
49. Generally speaking, vaping involves inhaling a vaporized liquid from an electronic device.
The difference is that while the liquid or the vapor is heated, it doesn’t burn like a traditional cigarette.
50. Some have refillable tanks while others have disposable pods.
But whatever they look like, basically, they’re all working the same way.
51. Sometimes, they even contain THC, the chemical found in marijuana that makes users feel “high.”
Meanwhile, hundreds of different types of e-cigarettes are on the market, and almost all of them contain nicotine.
52. Vaping has been around for about a decade now and is growing in popularity, especially among teens and young adults.
Originally marketed as a smoking cessation device for traditional smokers to quit smoking, e-cigarettes are considered a safer alternative to smoking.
53. Most smokers today are “dual users,” using both cigarettes and e-cigarettes.
They’re simply steaming in places or situations where they can’t smoke like a restaurant or a friend’s house.
54. Many people assume that e-cigarettes and vaping are safe alternatives to smoking.
Although some scientists believe that they are less dangerous than traditional cigarettes, they are still not a healthy or safe alternative.
55. Kids may not be smoking cigarettes, they are vaping in record numbers.
And regardless of the method, nicotine is still inhaled and addictions are developing.
56. E-cigarettes contain a number of potentially toxic substances that irritate the lungs and cause a number of health issues.
The National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine reported in a Consensus Study Report, which reviewed more than 800 different studies, that using e-cigarettes or vaping causes health risks.
57. Vaping devices can blow up.
In a 2017 report from the U.S. Fire Administration, officials reported that the shape and construction of e-cigarettes makes them more likely to explode than other lithium-ion battery products. In fact, when the batteries fail, they behave like “flame rockets.”
58. Another study found that more than 2,000 visits to the emergency rooms between 2015 and 2017 were related to e-cigarette burns and explosion-related injuries.
People lost their teeth, suffered eye damage, lost parts of their face or mouth, and experienced third-degree burns. There are reports of people dying in explosions.
59. To help prevent e-cigarette explosions, the FDA recommends that users only purchase vape devices with vent holes.
They also suggest replacing e-cigarette batteries that are damaged or wet, and storing loose batteries away from keys and coins.
60. Liquid nicotine is especially dangerous to young children, and reports of poisonings are on the rise.
They also suggest replacing e-cigarette batteries that are damaged or wet, and storing loose batteries away from keys and coins.
61. Some e-cigarettes contain as much or more nicotine than a pack of cigarettes.
So, vaping is just as addictive to traditional smoking. What’s more, nicotine is also toxic. It raises your blood pressure, increases your system’s adrenaline, and causes your heart to beat faster, all of which increase your risk of heart attack.
62. Many researchers are concerned that chemicals people inhale when they vape may cause conditions such as ‘popcorn lung,’ which is a type of lung disease caused by chemical diacetyl.
Diacetyl is a flavor-enhancing chemical that was originally used to improve the taste of microwave popcorn until it was shown to cause popcorn lung in factory workers.
63. Vape pens are not effective smoking cessation tools.
Although vape pens and e-cigarettes were initially marketed as a smoking cessation tool and a safer alternative to smoking, research is starting to show that they are not effective in helping smokers quit.
64. Vape pens contain harmful ingredients.
Almost every steam pen or e-cigarette contains harmful ingredients such as nicotine, THC, vitamin E acetate and other chemicals.
65. Vape pen liquids are addictive.
Both vape pens and cigarettes contain nicotine, which has been shown to be as addictive as heroin and cocaine. What’s more, a lot of people who are steaming get more nicotine than they would if they smoked a cigarette.
66. Vape pen use can lead to lung diseases.
They found that all patients who had difficulty breathing and had to be hospitalized had one thing in common—vaping.
67. One way to quit vaping is knowing why you vape in the first place.
Identifying the role of vaping in your life gives you some insight into areas that you might need to address. A large part of quitting is addressing this role and replacing it with healthier habits.
68. One way to quit vaping is seeking professional help.
If you take advantage of the resources that are available to you, you will be more successful in stopping. For example, there are a number of online and in-person cessation groups that are designed to help and support people like you who are trying to quit steaming.
69. One way to quit vaping is to avoid smoking cigarettes.
If you’re like a lot of vapers, you might have started steaming to stop smoking just to realize that vaping is a worse habit.
70. One way to quit vaping is to make use of tools.
Some people consider nicotine replacement therapy to be a form of cheating; however, some doctors feel that, when used appropriately, it is useful in the early stages of cessation. Talk to your doctor about whether or not nicotine replacement therapy is right for you.
71. One way to quit vaping is to make use of a journal.
When you’re struggling with cravings or the temptation to steam, it can help you get your feelings out of the way. For this reason, many people have found that a journal is an effective way to channel or release their frustrations, anxieties, and worries.
72. One way to quit vaping is thru meditation.
Some people have found mediation to be extremely useful when it comes to quitting vaping. In fact, one study found that smokers reduced their smoking intake by 60% when they were given meditation training.
73. One way to quit vaping is thru finding support.
You need people around you who will help you meet your goals by encouraging you and keeping you accountable.
74. Many teens are subjected to peer pressure, which can be a formidable roadblock for quitting the use of vape.
Teenagers and adults may face similar barriers when it comes to wanting to stop using e-cig and not being able to stop using stress relief vaping, experiencing physical and mental dependence, and potentially lacking access to evidence-based cessation programs.
75. Vaping is a problematic habit, but if you’re a smoker, you should feel comfortable talking to a parent or mentor about your habit.
The same goes for parents, if your child smokes, you’re not supposed to make them feel guilty.
76. Vape’s technical name is electronic nicotine delivery system (ENDS).
An umbrella term that includes steam pens, pods, tanks, mods and electronic cigarettes.
77. According to a 2019 survey, more than 5 million U.S. middle and high school students used e-cigarettes in the past 30 days..
Almost 1 million young users of e-cigarettes use the product every day and 1.6 million use it more than 20 times a month.
78. In 2011, there were 7 million e-cigarette users worldwide.
That number had risen to 41 million by 2018.
79. The three largest markets for vaping products are the United States, the United Kingdom, and Japan. (Euromonitor, 2018)
Vaping statistics worldwide.
80. Roughly 1 in every 20 Americans use vaping devices, and 1 in 3 users vape daily. (Annals of Internal Medicine, 2018).
Vaping statistics in the U.S.
81. Young people ages 15 to 17 are 16 times more likely to vape than people age 25 to 34. (Truth Initiative, 2018).
Vaping statistics by age.
82. Around 61% of teens who vape do it “to experiment,” 42% because they like the taste, 38% to have a good time, 37% to relieve tension, and 29% to feel good or get high. (Monitoring the Future, 2019).
Teen vaping statistics.
83. E-cigarettes are still a fairly new trend, and studies have linked them to increased blood pressure, heart disease, inflammation of the gum, lung disease, brain development and serious lung injury.
The more we learn about e-cigarettes, the more harmful the consequences for our health.
84. Although it’s often cheaper than traditional cigarettes, vaping isn’t cheap.
Vaping can cost between $387 and $5,082.50 per year, while smoking a pack of cigarettes per day can cost between $2,087.80 and $5,091.75, according to the manufacturer Ruthless Vapor.
85. A majority of e-cigarette users were smokers attempting to make the switch.
Drawing to a more favorable odor, a better taste, a variety of flavours, as well as a perception that vaping products are safer and healthier.
86. Vaping has been billed as a smoking cessation method, but e-cigarettes may contain just as much nicotine (and sometimes more), making them equally addictive.
Because they are more accessible and easier to use anywhere, steam products can be even harder to drop.
87. Vapers with support from friends, family, and others usually find it easier to stay strong.
Finding activities to replace vaping may also help, such as chewing gum, sunflower seeds, or a toothpick.
88. Nicotine withdrawal is no joke, and some people choose to wean themselves off with nicotine patches, gum, or nasal sprays.
Depending on how often vape products are used, these nicotine replacement therapies can also be effective. Doctors can also prescribe smoking cessation drugs such as Chantix and Zyban.
89. According to the Truth Initiative, 15- to 17-year-olds are 16 times more likely to vape than 25- to 34-year-olds.
Almost 12 percent of 12th graders, 6.9 percent of 10th graders, and 1.9 percent of 8th graders each day, according to a National Drug Abuse Survey.
90. Vaping isn’t necessarily worse than cigarettes.
Since it doesn’t produce smoke, it can be a little better, but they’re both unhealthful. E-cigarettes still contain hazardous chemicals, and ongoing research continues to link them to various diseases.
91. There are no accurate statistics on global vaping deaths, but lung injury caused by vaping products has so far been linked to 68 deaths in the U.S.
However, because vaping is a relatively new trend, it may take several years to see its long-term effects.
92. Vaping is bad for your heart and lungs.
The American Lung Association has stated that inhalation of harmful chemicals may cause irreversible lung damage and lung disease.
93. E-cigarettes aren’t the best smoking cessation tool.
E-cigarettes and vaping have been promoted, particularly in the United Kingdom, as a means of stopping smoking, but the vast majority of vaping liquids still contain nicotine and therefore leave you addicted to drugs with known harmful health effects.
94. The menthol flavor is the next most popular flavor, as 37% of users have confirmed smoking. It’s a total of 0.9 million smokers.
All the other flavors together make up an estimated 36.4 percent. All these statistics belonged to high school students.
95. Use of e-cigarette vaping product Associated Long Injury (EVALI) is an acute or subacute respiratory disease with lung damage that can be serious and life-threatening.
As of 18 February 2020 there were almost 3,000 hospital cases or deaths due to EVALI in the US23, most of which were under 35 years of age.
96. Nicotine is a highly addictive substance and in fact it has been reported to be harder to quit than cocaine.
Vaping is therefore addictive to nicotine, just like cigarettes. In fact, given that addicts are capable of increasing the dose of nicotine content, this is likely to be even more so.
97. Nicotine mixed with a developing brain can lead to addiction, reduced impulse control and mood disorders.
Nicotine also has a negative impact on the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for attention, decision-making, judgment, and planning in the brain.
98. Many vape pens are also used to inhale THC, the main psychoactive ingredient in marijuana.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) believes that THC, as well as a combination of THC, nicotine, and vitamin E, which is found in many vape cartridges, is causing serious lung damage.
99. Vaping misconceptions cloud its danger.
It is a marketer’s dream, and a parent’s nightmare.
100. Symptoms of vaping-related lung injury include: Rapid onset of coughing, breathing difficulties, weight loss, nausea and vomiting and diarrhea.
If your child exhibits any of these symptoms and uses a vape pen, take them to the emergency room right away, along with the pen and the cartridge they used.
101. E-cigarettes do deliver nicotine as a liquid through the END.
There is a nicotine cartridge inside the END that holds the flavored liquid. When the liquid is heated, it turns into an aerosol or a vapor that is inhaled by the user and exhaled into the environment.
Sources:
John Hopkins Medicine, TeensHealth, Ross Family Dentistry, Centers for Disease, Control and Prevention, OCDE Newsroom, VeryWell Mind, The Checkup, Allen Carr’s, Easyway, Revival Vape, Northwestern Medicine