Fewer Teens Used E-Cigarettes During Pandemic

Use of e-cigarettes decreased among teens in the first few months of the pandemic, according to an online survey.

The survey found vaping rates declined among 15- to 20-year-olds from March through June 2020 compared with the previous quarter, HealthDay reports. More than 5,750 teens and young adults participated in the survey.

E-cigarette use declined 35% among young adults ages 18 to 20 and 28% among teens ages 15 to 17 during the pandemic compared to the pre-pandemic period, according to a news release from Truth Initiative, the nonprofit anti-tobacco group that conducted the study.

The main reason for the decrease appears to be the lack of access to e-cigarettes and other vaping supplies, the researchers report in the American Journal of Public Health.

“The combination of not being able to share, not having access to retail outlets and affordability were significant predictors of drops in vaping,” said study author Jennifer Kreslake.