Trends in vaping in the US population between 2013 and 2023: changes in vaping days among youth versus adults

Objective To examine population level patterns of e-cigarette use between 2013–14 and 2022–23 by analysing trends in the total number of vaping days by youth versus adults. The vaping days measure offers added value by combining how many people are vaping with how frequently they vape. Methods The study used repeated cross sectional data from youth (aged 12–17 years) and adults (aged ≥18 years) from Wave 1 (2013–14) to Wave 7 (2022–23) of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) study, a nationally representative longitudinal study conducted in the US. Population level vaping days were calculated as the total number of days e-cigarettes were used in the population in the past 30 days at each wave. Vaping days was analysed over time by age group. Results Between 2013–14 and 2022–23, increases were observed in population vaping days (+183%), past 30 day vaping (+45%) and daily vaping (+230%). Vaping days among those under the minimum legal age of 21 years and who vaped in the past 30 days more than quadrupled (+337%) over the study period and accounted for 16% of all vaping days in 2022–23. Adult vaping days continued to increase since the pandemic due to increases in vaping frequency among adults and population growth. Conclusion Vaping consumption, measured as either the prevalence of daily vaping or total vaping, increased since 2013–14 in the US. This suggests that since 2013–14, not only are more individuals in the US vaping, but those who vape are doing so more frequently.