New research has proven that vaping is linked to depression, and one of the most vulnerable groups is impressionable teens.
An Australian researcher compiled data from 5,000 students aged 12 to 14 about their current mental health status and use of e-cigarettes and vapes. The results showed a powerful connection between the use of vapes and the increase in depression in teens.
Results of the Study
The study was able to prove that students who vape regularly experience severe depression twice as often as their counterparts who reported no vaping and no incidence of vaping.
The results show an alarming reality of new trends that young people cling to.
How Common Is Vaping?
Currently, two million US adults and roughly 2.1 million kids and teens are hooked on vapes and e-cigarettes in the United States.
Although the devices can often be used as an aid to help quit smoking, the devices remain an addictive hold on millions each year despite the health risks associated.
Young People Are Facing Dire Health Consequences
Although vaping is a relatively new phenomenon, the health risks and illnesses are already showing themselves, and the victims are younger than you’d expect.
Earlier this year, a 20-year-old suffered from two collapsed lungs as the result of long-term vaping. The young woman started vaping at just 15 years old as a result of trying to impress her friends.
The Study on Vaping and Depression
Roughly 5,000 students were surveyed in eight Australian schools as a part of the University of Sydney’s OurFutures Vaping Trial, which attempts to prevent young people from vaping.
The study asked kids aged 12 to 14 how often they cape, what they know of the harms of e-cigarettes their motivations for using them, and if they have experienced depressive symptoms in the past week.
The Results
The results of the study showed that of the 5,157 middle- and high school students involved, 8.3% said that they had used an e-cigarette in the past month.
As well, the students who reported moderate stress were shown to be 74% more likely to use e-cigarettes than those who did not have much stress levels.
The Connection to Low Well-Being
On top of stress levels, the report also noted that students who reported having low well-being were 105% more likely to vape compared to those with high well-being.
The difference could be due to a number of different factors. Kids who are unsatisfied with their lives could turn to peers for validation and partake in communal activities to gain approval in a group.
Notes From the Researcher
Dr. Lauren Gardner, one of the lead researchers on the trial, said, “More research is needed to understand the complex relationship between mental health and vaping, however, these findings highlight the urgent need for prevention and early intervention approaches, backed by evidence, to support both the short- and long-term health and wellbeing of young people.”
There is a growing body of evidence that shows the direct link between poor-mental health and the use of vapes and e-cigarettes.
Vaping Can Increase Anxiety
A study by the American Heart Association of 2,505 teens looked at the connection of anxiety and depression among nicotine vapers.
The conclusion revealed that 60 percent of the nicotine vapers and dual vapers experienced anxiety symptoms, such as worries, flashbacks, panic attacks, and situational anxieties, compared to 40 percent of participants who never vaped.
Similar Results in Adults
The study found similar results in adults who vape nicotine and non-nicotine e-cigarettes.
The connection is relatively undebatable that vaping can increase the incidence of anxiety and depression.
Double the Rates of Depression
A 2019 report in the Journal of the American Medical Association also noted that adults who use e-cigarettes have a higher likelihood of experiencing depression.
The report showed that those who vaped daily have a 2.4% higher odds of having depression.
Prevention Measures May Work
Currently, roughly 7.7% of students in the US admit to using vapes on a regular basis.
Thankfully, there is hope for private and government-backed initiatives. In 2023, e-cigarette usage fell roughly 14% in schools where the measures were implemented.
