Vaping Statistics

21 Riveting Vaping Statistics You Need To Know

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Smoking has long been a health concern of nations around the world. The good news is, in recent years, the world has started to see breakthroughs as tobacco use began to plummet in most countries.

However, the increase in vaping in the last decade seems to offset the world’s progress in controlling smoking.

Many researchers are becoming concerned about the rising popularity of e-cigarettes, especially among adolescents and young adults.

In the following sections, we’ll discuss some of the latest vaping statistics to determine how deeply ingrained e-cigarettes are to the younger generation and society and if there’s a cause for concern.

Some of the Most Gripping Facts About Vaping (Editor’s Choice)

  • Most adolescents think a vaping teenager is a common sight.
  • E-cigarette consumption increases the likelihood of youth users smoking cigarettes.
  • The e-cigarette has been one of the most rapidly growing industries in the past 10 years.
  • Vaping increases users’ chances of developing respiratory diseases.
  • Vaping increases the likelihood of contracting the virus causing COVID-19.
  • E-cigarettes cost users over $1,000 a year on average.
  • E-cigarettes work better than nicotine patches.

Vaping Statistics

1. Most adolescents think a vaping teenager is a common sight.

(Scholastic)

The majority of teenagers think that seeing their peers use a vaping device isn’t anything out of the ordinary. One survey shows that approximately 60% of teenagers have seen other students vape in school.

And about 23% have even seen their peers using e-cigarettes inside a classroom. These shocking statistics on vaping shouldn’t come as a surprise since over 3.6 million youth are hooked on e-cigarettes.

2. Records reveal a surge in the use of disposable vapes among high school and middle school students.

(Scholastic)

Teenage vaping statistics in 2020 showed a surge in the use of disposable e-cigarettes among high school and middle school students in the US. There was a 26.5% increase in vape use among high school students from 2019 to 2020. Meanwhile, vape users among middle school students increased by 15.2% for the same period.

3. Statistics about vaping suggest a high dependence on nicotine among the youth.

(US Food and Drug Administration)

The latest survey on e-cigarette use among the youth shows that approximately 3.6 million vape currently. About 40% of these young vapers consume e-cigarettes at least 20 days a month, and around 25% vape daily.

FDA believes these data show concrete proof of nicotine dependence among the younger generation.

4. E-cigarette consumption increases the likelihood of youth users smoking cigarettes.

(NIH Magazine)

Researchers believe that youths who use e-cigarettes are likely to suffer from the long-term effects of vaping. One of these effects is the increased likelihood of using cigarettes. Vape statistics show that approximately 30% of teenagers who vape are more likely to start smoking cigarettes.

5. The e-cigarette has been one of the most rapidly growing segments of the tobacco industry in the past 10 years.

(Statista)

Despite the dispute surrounding e-cigarettes because of their popularity among the youth and young adults, it remains one of the fastest-growing industries in the US. According to vaping statistics for 2021, the industry has now reached more than $20 billion in revenue.

6. Teenagers who want to quit vaping desire to do so for several reasons.

(Truth Initiative)

The growing popularity of e-cigarettes among adolescents is becoming a major concern for the entire nation. However, vaping stats show that an increasing number of teenagers want to quit using e-cigarettes.

About 50.9% of adolescents enrolled in a program designed to help the youth quit vaping say they want to stop for health reasons. Meanwhile, 21.7% say they want to stop because of the costs they incur from e-cigarette consumption, and 16% want to be free from addiction.

7. E-cigarettes contain harmful chemicals that can lead to severe diseases.

(The Recovery Village)

Vaping health statistics that show how harmful vape liquids can be are still scarce since e-cigarette use is relatively new. However, the health risks are becoming more evident than when e-cigarettes first came out.

One specific study found that over 90% of flavored vape liquids contain diacetyl and 2,3-pentanedione. Inhaling these chemicals can lead to lung tissue damage which causes chronic pulmonary obstruction disorder.

8. Statistics on vaping inform us that adults aged 18 to 29 are more likely to vape than other demographics.

(Gallup)

The latest survey among Americans shows that some demographics are more inclined to vaping than others.

Young adults from 18 to 29 years old are more likely to use e-cigarettes than others. In fact, 17% of this age group are three times more likely to vape than the national average.

vaping statistics1

Interesting Facts About Vaping

9. Vaping increases users’ chances of developing respiratory diseases.

(Boston University)

Vaping is often marketed as a safer alternative to tobacco smoking. Because e-cigarettes are relatively new, researchers struggle to answer some people’s more common questions like “What does vaping do to your body?”

However, one study that analyzed the impact of vaping on many people over time showed that e-cigarettes increased the chances of users developing respiratory diseases.

People who vaped in the past are 21% more likely to fall ill to respiratory diseases like emphysema, bronchitis, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Those who currently use e-cigarettes are at even greater risk, with a 43% greater chance of developing those respiratory diseases compared to those who never vaped or smoked.

10. Vaping increases the likelihood of contracting the COVID-19 virus.

(Truth Initiative)

Researchers are constantly coming up with scary vaping facts that e-cigarette users need to face.

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, vapers have one more thing to worry about: Some researchers are convinced that e-cigarettes can make users more susceptible to the novel coronavirus.

Data suggests that vapers are five times more likely to contract the virus. And those who use both e-cigarettes and combustible cigarettes are seven times more likely to test positive for the virus.

11. E-cigarettes cost users over $1,000 a year on average.

(Alabama A&M & Auburn Universities)

Most people are focused on vaping and JUULing facts related to health. But that’s not the only thing vapers should worry about.

Consuming a JUUL a week costs a user about $20. Assuming the user continues consuming one JUUL weekly, the costs would reach $1,008 per year.

Using refillable e-cigarettes is no different. In fact, it costs more. A person spends an average of $30 a week on refillable vaping devices, which amounts to $1,512 per year.

12. Vape exposure causes increased oxidative stress levels to nonsmokers.

(UCLA)

Disturbing vaping facts from a 2021 study inform us that nonsmokers exposed to a 30-minute vape session experienced two to four times higher levels of oxidative stress or imbalance of free radicals and antioxidants in the body.

After the session, tobacco smokers didn’t experience any increase in oxidative stress levels because their baseline for oxidative stress levels is already elevated.

This new information is alarming considering the growing popularity of e-cigarettes among adolescents.

13. E-cigarettes work better than nicotine patches for quitting smoking.

(MSD Manual)

One of the facts about vaping is that it can successfully be used to quit smoking combustible cigarettes. A study conducted in the UK shows that e-cigarette devices are a promising tool to help people quit smoking.

In the study, 18% of smokers who used e-cigarettes quit smoking. Meanwhile, only 10% of smokers who used nicotine replacement products did the same.

However, the same research shows that 80% of those who quit smoking using e-cigarettes still used them after a year. On the other hand, only 9% of those who quit smoking using nicotine replacement products still used the same products.

Vaping Trends

14. The majority of the young generation of e-cigarette users favor flavored vape juice over unflavored ones.

(CDC)

The latest report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on e-cigarette use among middle and high school students reveals an inclination toward flavored vape juice.

About 82.9% of current youth vape users consume flavored e-cigarette juice. That’s approximately 2.93 million students.

CDC believes trends in vaping like the production of youth-appealing flavored juice are to blame for the significant number of vapers among students.

15. Social media plays one of the most crucial roles in helping adolescents quit vaping.

(City Pulse)

One survey suggests that adolescents quitting e-cigarettes will become one of the vaping trends in 2021. As many as 60% of young vapers who participated in the survey said they finally wanted to cease using e-cigarettes.

And interestingly, about 40% of those who want to stop vaping said a social media support system would help them in their quitting journey. It also helps if these vapers can connect with social media influencers who are also going through the quitting process.

16. Educational attainment appears to be predictive of e-cigarette usage.

(Gallup)

One of the most interesting vaping facts Gallup discovered recently is the relationship of educational attainment to e-cigarette usage. Americans with lower educational levels have a higher probability of using vapes.

In fact, individuals with no college degree are twice more likely to consume e-cigarettes regularly than college graduates.

vaping statistics2

Vaping Statistics by Country

17. E-cigarette use among students in some countries in Europe is increasing at an alarming rate.

(WHO Europe)

According to the World Health Organization, tobacco use among adolescents is still a concern on the European continent, but reports suggest a continuous decline in its usage. 

However, the growing e-cigarette use in some European countries seems to counterbalance this great news of declining tobacco usage.

In fact, e-cigarette usage statistics in Latvia show an increase from 9.1% to 18% in just eight years. Meanwhile, Georgia experienced an increase from 5.7% to 13.2% in three years.

18. Vaping helps smokers in England quit smoking.

(Sky News)

The World Health Organization has branded e-cigarettes as harmful because of some worrying facts on vaping that link it to adolescent addiction to nicotine.

Despite the World Health Organization’s warning, Public Health England’s tobacco control lead Martin Dockrell feels differently about e-cigarettes.

The country’s data suggests that vaping is effective in helping smokers quit tobacco. In fact, vaping helps about 50,000 smokers quit every year.

19. According to the latest global vaping statistics, China consumed the most e-cigarettes in the Asia Pacific region.

(Statista)

The latest record of e-cigarette sales in the Asia Pacific region shows that China leads sales of vaping devices in the area, with 22.1 million units of e-cigarettes sold in 2019. Meanwhile, Japan came second with nearly half of China’s sales at 11.4 million units.

20. The global e-cigarette industry reached $17 billion in 2020.

(Globe Newswire)

The global vaping statistics for 2020 show us how valuable the global e-cigarette market has become. It has reached $17 billion in 2020.

Researchers believe the perception that e-cigarettes are a safer alternative to traditional cigarettes is the primary market driver. Smokers who want to quit smoking also think e-cigarettes can help them overcome their addiction to traditional cigarettes.

21. According to the latest vaping facts and statistics from the World Health Organization, only 42% of countries restrict e-cigarettes to minors.

(VOA)

Many countries have been making headway in controlling tobacco use and dissuading people from smoking. But as the world progresses in this area, many countries face a different problem the rampant use of e-cigarettes.

Manufacturers of vapes and vape liquids make their products more appealing to adolescents by offering various flavors.

This results in more teenagers becoming hooked on vapes. Despite this problem, only three countries have banned the use of flavored vape liquids. And what’s more surprising is that only 42% of countries have restricted vape selling to minors.

The World Health Organization sees these facts about vaping as disturbing revelations. This is because studies show that minors who start using vapes are twice as likely to consume tobacco later on.

Wrap Up

We might not have as much data and research on the impacts of e-cigarette use as we do on traditional cigarette use. However, it’s becoming more apparent that vaping, too, poses serious health issues. And contrary to some manufacturers’ claims, e-cigarettes aren’t safe at all.

Studies show that flavored vape liquids contain harmful chemicals, such as diacetyl, acrolein, and formaldehyde, which can damage the lungs and cause several respiratory diseases.

On the other hand, vaping usage statistics also show that e-cigarettes are effective in helping tobacco smokers quit.

The safest way to approach vaping is for nonsmokers to steer clear of e-cigarettes and for tobacco smokers who desire to quit to consider e-cigarette as an alternative to nicotine replacement products.

FAQ

Some studies show that using cigarettes can be worse for the lungs than vaping. However, the latest research also suggests that vaping is more dangerous to a user’s heart than smoking. Finally, some studies say that the health hazards of vaping are equal to that of smoking.

Since these studies are contradictory and more research is required at this point, we can’t conclusively say that vaping is worse than smoking cigarettes and vice versa.

We still don’t have an accurate count of worldwide deaths directly impacted by e-cigarettes. However, some deaths caused by lung injury in the US have been linked to vaping.

The current count doesn’t exceed 100, but it might increase through the years since it might take a while for the long-term effects of vaping to become evident.

One of the apprehensions of the World Health Organization about vaping is its likelihood of leading young people to tobacco use.

Research has confirmed that adolescents who have tried vaping are more likely to start smoking traditional cigarettes. According to stats on vaping, teenagers who vaped at one point are seven times more likely to end up as a smoker a year later.

The likelihood of a person switching to traditional cigarettes after using e-cigarettes depends on their age. Studies show that teenagers who vape are three times more likely to smoke traditional cigarettes or tobacco later in life than their peers.

The facts about youth vaping raise many concerns. Young people who use e-cigarettes are seven times more likely to become tobacco or traditional cigarette smokers a year later than other people in the same age group.

The latest research and studies we have on vaping give parents valid reasons to be concerned if their teenage child is vaping. It can lead to a long-term addiction to nicotine and cause various chronic diseases.

If you suspect anyone in your family to be using e-cigarettes, here are some of the telltale signs that they are vaping:

  • Behavioral changes like mood swings
  • Shortness of breath
  • Sweet or fruity fragrances
  • Mouth sores
  • Coughing

Vape usage and popularity vary with demographics. Studies show that age, household income, and educational attainment are some of the factors that contribute the most to the likelihood of e-cigarette use.

However, according to vaping statistics, age is the single most significant factor. Data suggests that adolescents or young adults aged 18 to 24 have the highest percentage of e-cigarette usage. The latest polls say about 20% of this age group are hooked on e-cigarettes.