Teen Vaping: New Research Reveals Old Risks and the Need for Smarter Solutions
The latest research on teen vaping trends and highlights the need for smart, balanced solutions to protect youth while supporting harm reduction.
New research out of the University of Queensland, consisting of two seperate studies, gives us an idea on both what teens are vaping and why. Led by Jack Chung, one of the studies examined data from over 70,000 American teens aged 11 to 18 between 2021 and 2023. The research team found that nearly 7% of these students reported vaping THC, the main psychoactive component in cannabis, about 3% had vaped CBD, and around 2% admitted to vaping synthetic cannabinoids—lab-made substances known to be significantly more dangerous than natural THC.
While the latter finding is the most concerning, what perhaps raises even more of a red flag is the fact that the number of younger teens (ages 11–15) using synthetic cannabinoid vapes has doubled. A major concern here is the fact many adolescents are unaware of exactly what they’re inhaling, with the percentage of students unsure if they had vaped synthetics rising from 1.8% to 4.7%. Synthetic cannabinoids can trigger severe, unpredictable reactions, sometimes fatal, and their growing popularity highlights the risks of illicit or black-market vaping products.
What’s driving teen vaping in 2025?
The second study, by Giang Vu, focused on social dynamics. It analyzed data from more than 20,000 U.S. adolescents collected from 2015 to 2021, and found that teens with friends who vaped were 15 times more likely to vape themselves. The good news is that while peer vaping has dropped slightly, from 32% to 22%, peer cigarette smoking has declined sharply from 26% to 8%.
The study also found that while parental disapproval remains a powerful protective factor, with teens 70% less likely to start vaping if parents opposed it, social media influence remains a problem. Often glamorizing vaping, teens are frequently exposed to messages that portray vaping as trendy. To this effect, in line with previous research, the current study advocates for stricter advertising rules.
A technology which could help strike the right balance
Meanwhile in the UK, lawmakers are finally exploring technology-based solutions to block teen access. One proposal gaining traction involves embedding Bluetooth chips in vapes that would connect to smartphone apps for age verification. Under this system, a vape would not work unless the user could prove they were of legal age. Additional features could restrict usage near schools or hospitals.
This initiative is part of a broader legislative effort under the UK’s Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which includes a ban on tobacco sales to anyone born after January 1, 2009. The law is set to begin in 2027 and may include further proposals like a £30 minimum price for vaping devices and warnings on individual cigarettes.
Supporters of harm reduction who have consistently highlighted that overly strict laws—like flavour bans or high taxes—would drive both teens and adults toward riskier black-market products, have long been advocating for age controls. These would ensure youth protection, while allowing adult smokers access to safer nicotine alternatives that can help them quit tobacco. Sadly this is often not the case, and sweeping bans are becoming increasingly common.
Closing the knowledge gap on nicotine
Compounding this issue, is public misunderstanding about nicotine itself. A significant number of smokers—and even healthcare providers—still believe nicotine is the primary cause of cancer from smoking, when in fact it’s the combustion of tobacco that causes the most harm.
To address this, researchers in the U.S. have tested new messaging strategies designed to challenge nicotine myths. In a study involving black communities, rural adults and young smokers—three groups especially impacted by smoking-related illness—curiosity-driven messages were most effective in correcting false beliefs and encouraging interest in quitting. Examples of such messages were phrasing information as a question or showing social approval.
These findings point to a need for smarter, more engaging public health campaigns—ones that focus on truth-telling rather than fear-mongering, especially for populations with the most to gain from switching to safer alternatives.
Balancing the vape debate: protecting kids while helping smokers quit
Together, these studies underscore a critical truth: while vapes are far less harmful than cigarettes and offer a valuable tool for adult cessation, they can be risky in the wrong hands, especially when misused by teens or when they are filled with unknown or unregulated substances.
The path forward should not involve blanket bans or fear-based messaging. Instead, a harm reduction approach that includes age-verification technology, clear public education, better regulation of dangerous substances like synthetics, and tailored nicotine literacy campaigns, could help protect young people while supporting adults trying to quit smoking.
Non-smoking minors should never have access to vaping products. But for the millions of adults still hooked on cigarettes, access to safe, regulated alternatives remains a lifeline worth preserving.