Young adult vapers gravitate toward stronger nicotine products, study finds
A UC San Diego analysis of national survey data found that high-nicotine e-cigarette use among young adults rose sharply from 2017 to 2022. By 2022, about 49% of daily vapers aged 18–24 used products with at least 4% nicotine, compared with 4.5% of daily vapers aged 55 and older. The researchers say this pattern is associated with greater nicotine dependence and more persistent vaping.
The analysis drew on the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health, a national survey, using 2017, 2019, 2021 and 2022 rounds plus follow-up data on 2,356 adults who vaped in 2019. It appeared in Tobacco Control on Oct. 20, 2026, from UC San Diego's Herbert Wertheim School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science.
Among daily vapers aged 18–24, the share using products with 4% nicotine or more climbed from 3.1% in 2017 to 40.1% in 2019 and 49.2% in 2022. In 2022, that share was 32.8% for ages 25–34, 17.6% for 35–54 and 4.5% for 55+. Overall, young adults who vaped had 12 times the odds of choosing high-nicotine products compared with the oldest group.
The findings may sharpen concern among parents, clinicians and regulators about how high-nicotine products are marketed and accessed by young adults. If younger vapers become more dependent and less likely to quit, they could face longer exposure to nicotine and related health risks, while adult smokers seeking cessation support may still need clear guidance. The study cannot by itself establish causation, so its societal implications may depend on how product regulation and public health messaging respond.