A new analysis is raising alarm about the growing problem of teen vaping and its connection to a wide range of risky behaviors and health issues. Researchers, writing in the journal Tobacco Control, examined 56 studies published between 2016 and 2024. Their findings suggest that teenagers and young adults who vape face increased risks of smoking, marijuana use, alcohol consumption, asthma, and even poor mental health.
While the researchers cautioned that it is not yet clear whether teen vaping directly causes these problems or whether teens who are already at risk are more likely to pick up the habit, the overall evidence paints a concerning picture. Teen vaping, they concluded, is strongly associated with harmful transitions to smoking and other behaviors that can have long-term consequences.
One of the starkest findings was that young people who vape are nearly three times more likely to start smoking cigarettes than their peers who don’t. This raises concerns that e-cigarettes, which are often marketed as a safer alternative for adults trying to quit smoking, may instead serve as a gateway for teens to pick up more dangerous habits. Teen vaping also appears to increase the likelihood of marijuana use, alcohol consumption, and binge drinking — behaviors that can carry serious health and social risks.
The health implications don’t stop there. Asthma diagnoses were found to be 20 to 36 percent higher among youth who used e-cigarettes. Some studies also tied teen vaping to elevated risks of brain injuries, suicide, and poor mental health outcomes. These findings suggest that teen vaping may not just be a short-term concern but a long-term threat to public health.
Rates of teen vaping are on the rise across Europe and beyond. A recent survey of 37 countries revealed that 22 percent of 15- and 16-year-olds reported teen vaping regularly in 2023, up from 14 percent just five years earlier.
Experts argue that the evidence is strong enough to justify new policies aimed at protecting teens. “We found consistent evidence around transitions to smoking which of course, in turn, opens the door to the multitude of harms that conventional cigarettes bring,” said study co-author Greg Hartwell of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
Although more research is needed to fully understand cause-and-effect relationships, the message is clear: teen vaping poses significant risks. Stronger public health measures, better education, and tighter regulation of e-cigarettes may be critical steps in curbing this growing trend before it does lasting damage.