Young people's experiences of addiction to nicotine vaping products: A qualitative analysis from Aotearoa New Zealand

Abstract

Introduction

Young people who use nicotine-containing electronic cigarettes, or ‘vapes’, risk becoming addicted to these products. While several studies document dependency symptoms, few report in-depth qualitative analyses of addiction.

Methods

We explored experiences of self-reported vaping addiction using in-depth interviews with 22 young people aged 16–20 years who vaped and lived in Aotearoa New Zealand. Our semi-structured interview guide probed participants' early experiences and how they progressed from experimentation to addiction and explored how addiction affected their perceptions and daily routines. We used an inductive reflexive thematic analysis approach to interpret the data.

Results

Vaping's pervasiveness piqued participants' curiosity and encouraged trial. Most transitioned from experimentation to addiction within a couple of months; while a minority described a slower progression, nearly all felt irritable, angry or uncomfortable if they had to delay vaping. Intense cravings disrupted school and work routines and dictated how they spent their time. Many deeply regretted vaping and some suffered shame and embarrassment. These participants saw vaping as a threat to the well-being of younger youth, which they tried to shield from addiction.

Discussion and Conclusions

We go beyond earlier studies by probing the burden vaping comes to represent, offering new insights into young people's everyday experiences of vaping addiction. In addition to informing health promotion campaigns, our findings could inform policy directions. Understanding the speed with which addiction can occur, its impact on daily life, and the considerable regret many felt could help inform a more strategic and sorely needed approach to reducing youth vaping.