Could Vaping Increase Young People’s Stress Levels?

Although some people see vaping as a method to stop smoking, experts are particularly interested in it because of its possible health repercussions. The most recent research on the issue goes even farther, contending that young users of the habit may be at an increased risk for chronic stress.

Is vaping a viable alternative to smoking or is it simply a horrible idea? Some medical specialists are in favor of adopting this substitute as long as it is appropriately controlled. This includes not just getting help to utilize the electronic cigarette as effectively as possible, but also treating vapes as a weaning strategy, or ceasing usage as soon as feasible. And with good reason: there isn’t enough research available to evaluate the long-term consequences of using e-cigarettes. In one of the most recent research on the issue, respiratory problems in young users of vaping were linked to it, while other studies revealed impacts on asthma. However, the emphasis of recently published studies now is on mental health.

The effects of vaping on young people’s physical and mental health are beginning to be shown through research. For instance, our earlier study shown that vapers are more likely to have an asthma attack. According to Dr. Teresa To, a senior scientist at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) in Toronto, Canada, who presented the study at the European Respiratory Society International Congress in Milan, Italy, “We were particularly interested in the relationship between vaping, mental health, and quality of life among young people in this study.” This study’s findings came from a nationwide survey that included 905 persons between the ages of 15 and 30 as a final sample, more than a tenth of whom admitted to using e-cigarettes.

a rise in ongoing stress

According to the findings of this observational research, e-cigarette users among young people were twice as likely to report suffering or having suffered chronic stress, or even “extreme chronic stress,” than non-users. The study demonstrates a connection between youth vaping and stress, but the researchers were unable to tell whether youth vaping increased due to stress or whether, on the contrary, youth vaping was more likely to generate “experiences of stress.” Nevertheless, the study took into consideration variables that may affect stress levels, such as income, alcohol use, and certain medical conditions.

Anxiety and depression are two mental health problems that may be brought on by chronic stress. Early assistance is crucial for preventing young people who are under chronic stress from turning to hazardous coping techniques like smoking or vaping. Stress and anxiety may cause cravings for vape products and make it more difficult for a user to stop, according to Dr. Teresa To. However, vaping is not an effective technique to deal with stress.

The research also revealed that young smokers are more likely to engage in physical activity and have worse quality of life than non-smokers. A discovery that creates doubts for the researchers and may seem counterintuitive. According to the researcher, “We do not know why young people who use e-cigarettes tend to be more physically active, but it could be that they are trying to control their weight with exercise and believe vaping could help.”

Vaping and stress: a vicious cycle?

Since this was an observational research, a causal relationship between vaping and elevated stress levels or experiences cannot be established. But they are not the only facts on the issue that have been published, not least in Canada. The most recent findings from the Canadian Tobacco and Nicotine Survey, which was done throughout the nation in 2021, reveal that vaping among young persons aged 15 to 19 remained consistent over the epidemic, but that 33% of these very young vapers claimed they used e-cigarettes to decrease stress. This number significantly exceeds that of the most recent poll in 2019 (21%).

While the National Youth Tobacco Survey reported a decline in the number of young vapers in the US in 2021, with nearly 2 million young people aged 11 to 18 still using e-cigarettes on a regular basis — even though these figures may have been impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic — daily e-cigarette use tripled among 17-year-old teenagers in France between 2017 and 2022. For all of these reasons, researchers are eager to move quickly with their studies of the long-term implications of vaping.

This research adds to what is previously known about the negative impacts of vaping on young people’s health by suggesting a connection between youth vaping and stress. Although vaping is still a relatively new practice, the number of kids and teenagers using e-cigarettes is fast increasing. Professor Elif Dal, chair of the European Respiratory Society’s group on tobacco, smoking control, and health education, who was not involved in the research, draws the following conclusion: “We need more research on the effects of vaping, but we also need to raise awareness of the harms of using e-cigarettes and provide support to help young people avoid or quit vaping.”