A staggering 2.55 million U.S. students were caught in the vape cloud in 2023, a deeply concerning trend fueled by flavored, high-nicotine disposables that masks a complex public health crisis reaching far beyond the schoolyard.
Key Takeaways
- In 2023, approximately 2.55 million U.S. middle and high school students (6.6%) reported current e-cigarette use, defined as use on at least one day during the past 30 days
- Among U.S. high school students in 2023, 10.0% reported current e-cigarette use, with disposable e-cigarettes being the most popular device type at 87.7% among users
- In 2022, 14.1% of U.S. middle school students and 27.5% of high school students had ever used e-cigarettes, per the National Youth Tobacco Survey
- In 2023, 4.6% of U.S. adults aged 18-24 reported daily e-cigarette use
- 6.0% of U.S. adults were current e-cigarette users in 2022 NSDUH data, equating to 14.1 million
- Among U.S. adults who smoke, 42.1% tried e-cigarettes to quit in 2021-2023 surveys
- In 2023, lung injury cases linked to vaping (EVALI) numbered 2,807 confirmed U.S. cases with 68 deaths, mostly THC products
- E-cigarette use associated with 30% increased risk of COPD among U.S. adults per 2023 studies
- Youth vapers 1.44 times more likely to start smoking cigarettes within 2 years, per 2023 longitudinal data
- FDA authorized 23 tobacco/menthol e-cig products by mid-2023, banning most flavored
- U.S. PACT Act 2022 banned vape mail delivery to consumers under 21
- EU TPD 2014 limits e-liquid nicotine to 20mg/ml, tank size 2ml
- U.S. Global vape market valued at $28.17B in 2023, projected $82.53B by 2030 CAGR 16.5%
- Disposable e-cig segment held 54.2% U.S. market share in 2023 revenue
- Global e-liquid sales reached $8.5B in 2023, driven by flavors
Vaping remains a serious public health issue, especially among youth in the United States.
Economic Aspects
- U.S. Global vape market valued at $28.17B in 2023, projected $82.53B by 2030 CAGR 16.5%
- Disposable e-cig segment held 54.2% U.S. market share in 2023 revenue
- Global e-liquid sales reached $8.5B in 2023, driven by flavors
- U.S. vape retail sales hit $10.4B in 2022, up 20% YoY
- Juul Labs market cap dropped to $2.5B by 2023 from $38B peak
- China produced 90% of global vapes, exporting $5.2B in 2022
- U.S. online vape sales $2.9B in 2023 despite regulations
- Altria invested $12.8B in Juul stake, wrote down $8.5B loss by 2023
- British American Tobacco vape revenue $3.4B in 2023, 13% of total
- Philip Morris VEEV revenue grew 20% to $1.2B in 2023
- U.S. convenience store vape sales $4.1B in 2023, 25% category growth
- Global pod system vapes market $15.6B in 2023, CAGR 25.3% to 2030
- Imperial Brands Next vape sales up 47% to £500m in 2023
- U.S. vape shop industry revenue $7.2B in 2023, 3,500+ stores
- Illegal U.S. vape market estimated $2.6B annually post-flavor bans
- Asia-Pacific vape market $12.4B in 2023, 45% global share
- U.S. nicotine salt e-liquids captured 62% market share in 2023
Economic Aspects Interpretation
Despite a tidal wave of regulation, public health scares, and catastrophic corporate write-downs, the global vaping industry—powered by disposables, flavors, and relentless convenience store sales—continues to inhale growth at a pace that would leave even the fittest marathon runner gasping for air.
Health Impacts
- In 2023, lung injury cases linked to vaping (EVALI) numbered 2,807 confirmed U.S. cases with 68 deaths, mostly THC products
- E-cigarette use associated with 30% increased risk of COPD among U.S. adults per 2023 studies
- Youth vapers 1.44 times more likely to start smoking cigarettes within 2 years, per 2023 longitudinal data
- Nicotine from e-cigarettes raises heart rate by 23.8% and blood pressure by 13.9 mmHg acutely
- 2023 meta-analysis: Vaping increases odds of asthma exacerbation by 1.43 in users
- EVALI patients had 82% history of THC vaping, vitamin E acetate implicated
- Daily vaping linked to 19% higher odds of myocardial infarction in adults
- E-cigarette aerosols contain 2-10 times more carbonyls than traditional cigarettes under high power
- Youth e-cig users 2.7 times more likely to develop nicotine dependence
- Vaping associated with 40% increased depression risk in adolescents, 2023 study
- Flavorings in e-cigs like diacetyl linked to bronchiolitis obliterans ("popcorn lung")
- E-cig users have 1.3 times higher stroke risk per large cohort study
- 2022 data: 15.9% of vapers reported respiratory symptoms vs. 7.4% non-users
- Heavy vaping (>1 mL/day) impairs vascular function by 20-30%
- EVALI mortality rate was 2.4% among hospitalized cases in 2019-2020
- Nicotine e-cigs increase ADHD symptoms by 1.5-fold in youth users
- Aerosols contain metals like lead at 10x cigarette levels in some devices
- Vaping during pregnancy increases preterm birth risk by 30%
- Chronic vapers show 25% reduced lung function (FEV1) decline over 3 years
- E-cig use doubles oral cancer biomarker levels
- 2023: Vapers have 1.6x higher anxiety disorder odds
- Secondhand e-cig aerosol exposure raises nicotine in non-users by 2-3x
Health Impacts Interpretation
This alarming buffet of health data suggests that vaping, far from being a harmless alternative, is a masterclass in trading one set of profound risks for a newly customized and concerning collection of them.
Regulatory Measures
- FDA authorized 23 tobacco/menthol e-cig products by mid-2023, banning most flavored
- U.S. PACT Act 2022 banned vape mail delivery to consumers under 21
- EU TPD 2014 limits e-liquid nicotine to 20mg/ml, tank size 2ml
- California banned flavored tobacco including vapes in 2022, reducing sales 57%
- FDA issued MDOs to 55m+ flavored disposable vapes in 2024 enforcement
- UK's MHRA authorized 4k+ vape products under TPD compliance by 2023
- Massachusetts banned all flavored vapes in 2019, upheld in 2023
- FDA's 2022 proposed rule covers youth-appealing flavors in enforcement
- Australia's 2021 ban on vape imports without prescription reduced retail sales 90%
- New Zealand raised vape age to 18, banned marketing in 2020 TCVA
- FDA seized $34m in illegal vapes in 2023 operations
- Canada's 2023 flavored vape sales ban except tobacco/menthol
- UK's 2023 disposable vape ban consultation launched for 2024
- India banned single-use plastic vapes and e-cigs in 2019
- FDA's PMTA deadline Jan 2020 led to 1m+ applications reviewed by 2023
- Brazil's Anvisa banned flavored vapes in 2023 resolution
- U.S. states with flavor bans: 28 by 2024, covering disposables in many
- WHO FCTC Article 9-10 guides e-cig regulation in 120+ countries by 2023
- Thailand's 2023 vape import ban enforced with 1,000+ arrests
Regulatory Measures Interpretation
Amidst a global regulatory crackdown that has variously authorized, banned, seized, and consulted, the vaping industry finds itself in a curious state of being both officially sanctioned and relentlessly hunted.
Usage Statistics
- In 2023, 4.6% of U.S. adults aged 18-24 reported daily e-cigarette use
- 6.0% of U.S. adults were current e-cigarette users in 2022 NSDUH data, equating to 14.1 million
- Among U.S. adults who smoke, 42.1% tried e-cigarettes to quit in 2021-2023 surveys
- Daily e-cigarette use among U.S. adults rose to 3.7% in 2020-2021, per NHIS
- 11.3% of U.S. young adults (18-24) were current vapers in 2022, NSDUH
- In 2023, 4.5% of U.S. adults used e-cigarettes exclusively, without combustible tobacco
- U.S. adult vaping prevalence was 4.5% in 2021 PATH Study waves
- 2022 data: 2.9% of U.S. adults aged 25-44 vaped daily
- Among U.S. cigarette smokers, 55% have tried e-cigarettes as of 2023 surveys
- 1.8% of U.S. adults over 65 were current e-cigarette users in 2022
- Dual use of e-cigarettes and cigarettes among U.S. adults was 3.1% in 2021
- 2023 Gallup: 12% of U.S. adults have tried vaping, with 4% current users
- U.S. adult males had 5.8% current vaping rate vs. 2.9% females in 2022 NSDUH
- Non-Hispanic White adults showed 6.8% vaping prevalence in 2022 U.S. data
- Hispanic adults had 3.2% current e-cigarette use in 2022 NSDUH
- Black adults reported 3.5% vaping in 2022 U.S. surveys
- 7.1% of U.S. adults with mental health issues vaped in 2021-2022
- Military veterans in U.S. had 8.4% current vaping in recent VA studies
- 2023: 15.5% of U.S. young adults (18-24) currently vape, per recent polls
- E-cigarette use among pregnant U.S. women was 1.2% in 2021-2022 PRAMS
- 3.4% of U.S. college students reported daily vaping in 2022 surveys
- Rural U.S. adults had 5.2% vaping rate vs. 4.1% urban in 2022 data
- Vaping initiation among never-smokers aged 18+ was 1.5% annually in PATH data
Usage Statistics Interpretation
While vaping has become the rebellious new cloud on the smoking-cessation horizon, its prevalence remains a modest but evolving 4-6% among U.S. adults, hinting that the revolution is being vaporized by a majority who still prefer not to inhale anything but air.
Youth and Demographics
- In 2023, approximately 2.55 million U.S. middle and high school students (6.6%) reported current e-cigarette use, defined as use on at least one day during the past 30 days
- Among U.S. high school students in 2023, 10.0% reported current e-cigarette use, with disposable e-cigarettes being the most popular device type at 87.7% among users
- In 2022, 14.1% of U.S. middle school students and 27.5% of high school students had ever used e-cigarettes, per the National Youth Tobacco Survey
- Black high school students in the U.S. saw a vaping prevalence of 8.4% in 2023, up from previous years, indicating rising disparities
- In 2023, 89.5% of current youth e-cigarette users in the U.S. used flavored products, with fruit flavors at 44.5%
- Hispanic high school students reported 9.2% current e-cigarette use in 2023 NYTS data
- White high school students had the highest current vaping rate at 10.6% in 2023 among U.S. youth
- In 2023, 1 in 5 U.S. high school students who vaped used e-cigarettes frequently (20+ days in past 30)
- Asian American high school students showed 5.1% current e-cigarette use in 2023, lower than other groups
- 76.8% of current U.S. youth vapers in 2023 used disposable e-cigarettes, per NYTS
- Multiracial high school students reported 12.4% current vaping in 2023 U.S. data
- In 2023, 20.2% of U.S. high school students had ever used e-cigarettes, down from peaks but still high
- Female high school students in U.S. had 8.2% current e-cigarette use in 2023 NYTS
- Male high school students reported 11.7% current vaping in 2023, higher than females
- 43.6% of current youth vapers in 2023 used high nicotine concentration products (>5% nicotine)
- In 2023 NYTS, 2.8% of middle school students used e-cigarettes daily or nearly daily
- LGBTQ+ high school students had 20.1% current e-cigarette use in recent U.S. surveys
- 2023 data shows 1.15 million U.S. middle schoolers ever tried vaping
- In 2023, 58.2% of youth vapers used fruit-flavored e-cigarettes
- Urban high school students showed 10.3% vaping prevalence vs. 9.7% rural in 2023
- 2023 NYTS: 3.4% of U.S. youth vaped on 20+ days in past month
- In 2023, 12.6% of 12th graders in U.S. vaped nicotine daily, per Monitoring the Future
- 8th graders showed 3.7% current vaping in 2023 MTFS data
- 10th graders had 9.2% current e-cigarette use in 2023 U.S. survey
- Lifetime vaping among 12th graders reached 32.5% in 2023
Youth and Demographics Interpretation
The numbers tell a clear and concerning story: while roughly one in ten U.S. high schoolers are currently vaping, with a particular fondness for sweet, disposable devices, the epidemic is not a monolith, as it reveals sharp and troubling disparities across race, gender, and identity, all while hooking a significant portion of these young users on high-strength nicotine.
Sources & References
- Reference 1CDCcdc.govVisit source
- Reference 2FDAfda.govVisit source
- Reference 3NCCDnccd.cdc.govVisit source
- Reference 4MONITORINGTHEFUTUREmonitoringthefuture.orgVisit source
- Reference 5SAMHSAsamhsa.govVisit source
- Reference 6ICPSRicpsr.umich.eduVisit source
- Reference 7GALLUPgallup.comVisit source
- Reference 8PUBLICHEALTHpublichealth.va.govVisit source
- Reference 9PEWRESEARCHpewresearch.orgVisit source
- Reference 10NCBIncbi.nlm.nih.govVisit source
- Reference 11ATSJOURNALSatsjournals.orgVisit source
- Reference 12JAMANETWORKjamanetwork.comVisit source
- Reference 13AHAJOURNALSahajournals.orgVisit source
- Reference 14EHPehp.niehs.nih.govVisit source
- Reference 15JAACAPjaacap.orgVisit source
- Reference 16NEJMnejm.orgVisit source
- Reference 17THELANCETthelancet.comVisit source
- Reference 18CONGRESScongress.govVisit source
- Reference 19ECec.europa.euVisit source
- Reference 20CDPHcdph.ca.govVisit source
- Reference 21GOVgov.ukVisit source
- Reference 22MASSmass.govVisit source
- Reference 23FEDERALREGISTERfederalregister.govVisit source
- Reference 24HEALTHhealth.gov.auVisit source
- Reference 25HEALTHhealth.govt.nzVisit source
- Reference 26CANADAcanada.caVisit source
- Reference 27PIBpib.gov.inVisit source
- Reference 28GOVgov.brVisit source
- Reference 29TRUTHINITIATIVEtruthinitiative.orgVisit source
- Reference 30FCTCfctc.who.intVisit source
- Reference 31FDAfda.moph.go.thVisit source
- Reference 32GRANDVIEWRESEARCHgrandviewresearch.comVisit source
- Reference 33FORTUNEBUSINESSINSIGHTSfortunebusinessinsights.comVisit source
- Reference 34STATISTAstatista.comVisit source
- Reference 35REUTERSreuters.comVisit source
- Reference 36BATbat.comVisit source
- Reference 37PMIpmi.comVisit source
- Reference 38CSPDAILYNEWScspdailynews.comVisit source
- Reference 39MORDORINTELLIGENCEmordorintelligence.comVisit source
- Reference 40IMPERIALBRANDPLCimperialbrandplc.comVisit source
- Reference 41IBISWORLDibisworld.comVisit source
- Reference 42PUBLICHEALTHpublichealth.jhu.eduVisit source