Research shows depressed teens are twice as likely to vape

A study of vaping behaviour among Australian high school students found that students who reported severe depressive symptoms were twice as likely to have tried e-cigarettes, compared with students who did not report depressive symptoms.

Data shows that people with poorer mental health, including severe depressive symptoms, moderate and high stress, and low well-being, are generally more likely to use e-cigarettes.

The findings highlight the urgent need for effective mental health support, while also preventing vaping during early adolescence, when these issues first surface.

The researchers surveyed over 5,000 Year 7 and 8 students from 40 schools in New South Wales, Queensland and Western Australia in 2023 (May-October), creating one of the largest datasets on adolescent vaping currently available in the country.

Of the 5,157 students who participated in the study, 8.3% reported having previously used e-cigarettes.

E-cigarette use was 74% higher among students who reported experiencing moderate stress, and 64% higher among those who reported experiencing a lot of stress.

E-cigarette use was also 105% higher for students reporting low well-being compared to high well-being. Anxiety symptoms were not associated with e-cigarette use.

The data comes from a survey within the “OurFutures Vaping Trial”, the first and so far only clinical trial of a school-based e-cigarette prevention program in Australia.

The aim of the study is to rigorously test whether vaping among Australian adolescents can be prevented.

“There is a lack of data on the links between adolescent vaping and mental health, particularly in the unique Australian context. This was important to address as we see both vaping and mental health problems increasing among young people,” said Dr Lauren Gardner from the University of Sydney’s Matilda Centre, who co-leads the OurFutures Vaping Trial with Professor Nicola Newton.

“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, supported by evidence, to support both the short- and long-term health and wellbeing of young people.”

The results, published in Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatryare consistent with research in other age groups and countries, including the United States, have linked e-cigarette use among adolescents to depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and stress.

The Matilda Center previously found The average age a teenager starts vaping is 14. Other research (independent from the University of Sydney) has found that vaping rates among 12- to 15-year-olds increased from 10% to 24% between 2017 and 2023.

“There is growing evidence of a link between vaping and mental health: vaping is associated with the onset of mental health problems, and vice versa,” said co-author and Associate Professor Emily Stockings from the Matilda Centre.

“Although this was not examined in our study, it is possible that this relationship could be explained by shared social, environmental and genetic risk factors, or that it could reflect potential self-medication behavior.

“In the short term, nicotine can reduce feelings of anxiety and stress, and young people may turn to e-cigarettes as a coping mechanism.

“Regardless of whether mental health issues influence smoking or vice versa, it is clear that if we want to prevent people from taking up vaping, we need to pay attention to mental health at the same time.”