Understanding Reasons to Quit or Reduce Vaping and Associations With Quitting Outcomes Among High School Adolescents in Connecticut

Purpose

Understanding youth experiences quitting vaping is important for informing youth-focused e-cigarette cessation interventions to improve public health. This study aims to examine reasons for quitting/reducing vaping and associations with quitting outcomes.

Methods

We surveyed high school students in Connecticut in 2022 using a brief, anonymous online questionnaire assessing e-cigarette use. Adolescents (N = 756; mean age = 15.9, SD = 1.2) who reported lifetime e-cigarette use answered questions about previous experiences trying to quit or reduce vaping, including reasons for quitting/reducing and quitting outcomes.

Results

Among adolescents who had ever vaped, 56.8% only vaped a few times and did not continue, while 32.2% reported seriously trying to quit or reduce vaping. Common reasons for quitting/reducing vaping included concerns about health (50.2%), addiction (45.5%), and cost (42.5%). Additional reasons cited were impacting ability to play sports (30.0%), spending too much time vaping (23.2%), and resetting tolerance (21.5%). Among those who tried to quit, 40.3% reported they were successful, 39.6% reported continuing vaping, and 20.1% reported quitting vaping but using other nicotine/tobacco products (e.g., cigarettes, cigarillos, blunts, nicotine pouches). Quitting due to influence of friends was associated with success quitting (vs. still vaping or using other nicotine/tobacco products, p ≤ .02), while quitting due to punishment (e.g., suspension) or losing e-cigarette access temporarily (e.g., family vacation) were associated with continued vaping (p ≤ .03).

Discussion

Adolescents endorse many reasons for quitting or reducing vaping that may help inform e-cigarette interventions. Interventions should consider encouraging cessation of all nicotine/tobacco products while leveraging peer support strategies and minimizing punitive measures to support quitting.