A new study in Australia linked vape usage to poor mental health in teens.
The study found that teens with mental health issues were more likely to use vape. A similar finding was noted among teens with poor well-being.
Researchers in Australia surveyed 5,000 students ages 12 to 14 for the study. Teens answered questions about their vape and drug use. Some questions were also related to mental health and well-being.
The study was part of the OurFutures vaping prevention program. It was led by the University of Sydney's Matilda Center.
The study was published on Monday.
The Study's Findings
Among all participants, 20% of students reported symptoms of moderate to severe depression, as first reported by The Guardian. Of those, students who said they had moderate levels of stress were 74% more likely to have tried vapes or e-cigarettes. Vape usage fell to 64% among those who reported high levels of stress.
The study noted a correlation between a teen's mental health and well-being to vaping. However, further study is needed to find a stronger correlation.
How Many Teens Are Using Vape?
According to the Australian OurFutures study, 8% of students aged 12 to 14 said they have tried vaping at least once. This increases to 24% among those ages 12 to 15.
Moreover, that study found that mental health issues and substance use were found to begin at the age of 14.
More than 2.1 million US students in middle school and high school said they were vaping. At least 10.0% are high school students while 4.6% are in middle school. That is according to a 2023 National Youth Tobacco Survey.
At least 46.7% reported current use of vape. Over 25% said they vaped daily, CDC data showed.
The 2023 survey noted that nine in 10 youth and young adults who vape used flavored e-cigarettes.
As of June 2024, only four vape flavors have been authorized by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), but there are hundreds to thousands of unauthorized products available in the market.
