Quitting Vaping Statistics That Will Surprise You

The rise of vape users has led to a substantial increase in brands offering different types and models of vaping devices. Vape brands also stayed competitive against each other by formulating e-liquid flavours and adding convenient features that would entice consumers to try out their offerings. These are only a few reasons why the number of vape users has increased significantly.

While general statistics all over the world truly show a continuous increase in vape use, different studies have found that many e-cigarette users are now attempting and trying to quit. Some have even ditched vape devices entirely.

Get to know the quit rates among various age groups as well as the reasons behind this. Here are some quitting vaping statistics you should be aware of.

Quit Rates for Adults

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), cigarette smoking remains the top cause of preventable disease, disability, and death in the United States. It is also essentially true for other parts of the world.

Hence, it is not surprising to see adults quitting smoking and starting vaping. A study published in the Archives of Public Health has found that the lifetime and current prevalence of using e-cigarettes worldwide were 23% and 11%, respectively. These numbers are already high considering that the vaping industry is just getting started.

The reasons behind switching to vaping from smoking are straightforward. 

First, many adult smokers believe that vaping can help them quit cigarette smoking. They also believe that vapes are less harmful than cigarettes due to the absence of tobacco. The costs of buying and maintaining vapes are likewise lower than purchasing packs of traditional cigarettes.

Despite all these reasons, a percentage of vape adult users, especially former cigarette smokers, have started to think of quitting vaping as well.

The survey study Interest in Quitting e-Cigarettes Among Adult e-Cigarette Users With and Without Cigarette Smoking History found that many e-cigarette adult users have expressed interest in ditching vape devices. Former cigarette smokers were pinpointed to have the highest levels of intention to quit vaping and smoking altogether.

This study analyzed and reviewed longitudinal survey data from more than 30,000 adults in the United States. It aims to provide an estimate of how many vape users are interested in quitting e-cigarettes or have made attempts to quit before through their quit attempt responses.

Since past smokers see vapes as a tool for smoking cessation, they are most likely to quit vaping as well when the time comes. Former smokers who use vapes have accounted for the highest proportion of participants (66.1%) planning to quit.

However, some smokers who tried to use vapes ended up using both. Known as dual users, the same study has concluded that they are less likely to quit e-cigarette use in the long run. Only 59% of them have the intention of planning to quit vaping.

After all, both cigarettes and vapes have nicotine, a highly addictive substance that releases dopamine in the brain. It gives smokers and vape users a relaxing sensation, pushing them to crave more.

While they boast the highest rates of past quit attempts, a huge percentage of never-smokers or adults who never smoked (55.4%) have failed to do so. Since they are first exposed to vaping, they perceive e-cigarettes as their main source of nicotine. So, ditching these devices can be difficult if they are already used to getting the substance from them.

Rate of Teens Quitting Vaping

When thinking about vapes, the first thing that comes to mind is the plethora of options you can find in the market right now. 

Manufacturers have released tons of flavours for vapes so consumers can pick one that suits their taste. From the fruity ones to the minty flavours, vape users do not have to worry about not getting their desired vapour taste. The Geek Bar Pulse Disposable Vape comes in a wide array of fruity and minty flavours that you can enjoy. 

Aside from flavours, vape brands have also infused their e-cigarettes with stylish designs to encourage many people, especially teens and young adults, to try and purchase them. Most vapes today come in sleek and colourful bodies so users can bring and use them whenever and wherever possible. They even come in playful packaging.

All these things have resulted in teens and young adults, including high school students, trying and using vape devices.

At a young age, a lot of them are prone to experiment with what’s cool and trendy. Hence, a huge percentage of teens end up buying vapes and enjoying them along the way.

Social gatherings and peer influence are prevalent among teens and young adults. Since young people love to socialize, many of them are influenced to use vape just to make sure they feel included and belong to their respective circle of friends and acquaintances. These findings are reinforced by a study published in Int J Environ Res Public Health.

In Canada alone, 30% of teens aged 15 to 19 and 48% of young adults aged 20 to 24 years have tried using vapes in their lifetime. These percentages are significantly higher than the percentage of adults aged 25 years and older (15%) who have tried vaping.

Despite the lack of long-term medical research regarding vaping, being exposed to vaping at a young age still has its fair share of negative effects.

The nicotine found in vape e-liquid can be harmful to the developing brains of teens and young adults. Once it infiltrates the body repeatedly, it can hinder the formation of brain circuits controlling learning, attention, and susceptibility to addiction. This results in young people becoming more susceptible to nicotine addiction.

Aside from nicotine, vaping also releases harmful chemicals from its aerosols, leading to the formation of potential diseases and illnesses like asthma, cancer, heart disease, and stroke.

Due to the potential health concerns of vaping, many teens today are keen on attempting to quit vaping. A survey by Truth Initiative in 2022 shows that many teens have intentions to quit e-cigarette use. It is similar to a separate study conducted two years ago, which concluded that more than half of young e-cigarette users want to quit vaping.

Aside from health, teens want to quit vaping due to financial and social factors. 

Around 21% of young vape users believe that vaping only hinders their desire to be free from the expenses related to e-cigarettes. Electronic cigarettes, while advertised to be cheaper than cigarettes, can cost a lot since a user has to spend for the vaping device, e-liquid or vape pod refills, coils, and other accessories. 

Another reason why young people want to quit e-cigarettes use is social influence. While many teens get into vaping due to peer pressure or the desire to socialize with others, they also consider social influence as the main reason to quit. 

At a young age, teens tend to value various relationships more than other things in life. Some young adults believe that relying on vapes extensively will only ruin certain relationships in their lives, which they consider to be more important. Families also have a lingering effect on teens, encouraging them to quit on their own just to protect their bond.

Vaping Relapse Statistics

The primary reasons people get into vaping vary. Therefore, the time needed for the same people to entirely quit vaping will also vary. Remember that there is not a single approach to quitting e-cigarette use altogether.

As a matter of fact, many vape users who have attempted to quit end up relapsing or returning to vaping. A relapse is a temporary setback that many people encounter whenever they try to get rid of vapes in their lives.

Before knowing why relapse occurs, you must first know some reasons why people vape.

The first reason why people, especially adults, use vapes is they want to veer away from cigarettes. The smoke released by cigarettes and other tobacco products has been known to cause different lung and heart problems. Since vapes do not produce carcinogens, they are often the go-to option for those who want nicotine without the harmful tobacco smoke.

Another reason vapes are used by many people is because they serve as a stress reliever.

Nicotine is a substance often found in e-liquids. Once these e-liquids are vaporized into aerosols, their nicotine content can induce a sense of relaxation as they enter the bloodstream. It then helps leave you feeling refreshed and calm.

Social influence can likewise push people to use vape. Common among young adults and teens, these vaping devices are treated as a socialization tool, allowing them to get together and share their experiences when using e-cigarettes. Contests and competitions revolving around vapes are even launched, boosting the role of vapes in gathering like-minded people.

So, how does vaping relapse happen? 

It often happens because of the three reasons stated above. 

Adults who use vapes as a smoking cessation tool may try to quit vaping in the long run, especially if their end goal is to quit nicotine consumption altogether. However, some of them fear that they might end up returning to smoking if they quit vaping. Hence, they would continue vaping instead just to make sure they don’t fall back into smoking.

Relapse can also happen for users who already depend on vapes to get their needed stress relief. Vapes have been beneficial for people who use them as a coping strategy whenever they encounter professional or personal setbacks. As they try to quit vaping, a lot of things can happen in their everyday life. Without any other options to alleviate their stress and anxiety, vape users end up relapsing and reaching for their vapes once again.

A lot of social support networks have been established for people who want to quit vaping. But there are times when these groups are not enough. Even their own family members and friends may not be as supportive as they expect. In the end, those trying to get rid of vapes just go back to these devices, ensuring they can still socialize with people who are also using them.

The statistics available for vaping relapse are scarce. Most data available are related to smoking relapse due to vape use.

A study published in Tobacco Prevention & Cessation carried out longitudinal observational studies that evaluate the link between e-cigarette use and smoking relapse. It found that the chance of smoking relapse among vape users who used to quit smoking is high.

Similarly, a study conducted in the United States has concluded the same thing. While many smokers have switched to vaping to get rid of cigarettes, a huge percentage of them end up reverting to smoking. So, out of nearly 13,000 smokers included in the study, only a few of them have successfully ditched smoking out of their lives through vape use.

Quitting Side Effects Statistics

While vape users and cigarette smokers continuously grow, a lot of them also show interest in quitting vapes, cigarettes, and other nicotine products altogether. Many, however, are hesitant to start their quitting journey as they may be affected by withdrawal symptoms.

Attempting to quit smoking and vaping can feel different for each individual. Almost everybody, however, would feel a series of symptoms due to nicotine withdrawal. 

One of the symptoms of nicotine withdrawal is the strong urge or desire to smoke or vape. You may also feel irritated, upset, jumpy, or restless. You can even have trouble sleeping and concentrating. You can likewise feel hungrier, more anxious, and more depressed.

These things happen because your brain and body will not be receiving any nicotine anymore. This substance only makes you feel relaxed and calm temporarily. When consuming nicotine repeatedly for a long time, it gradually alters how your brain works until you eventually crave it repeatedly whenever you feel stressed, sad, hungry, and so on.

If you have already associated vaping and smoking with calming yourself, it will surely be uncomfortable at first when you try to get rid of cigarettes and vapes.

A recent study published in the journal Environmental Research and Public Health reviewed the barriers and facilitators to quitting vaping. The study was done on 787 adults who used e-cigarettes in their lives as well as attempted to quit vaping at least once.

Some details collected from them include vaping frequency, daily frequency, timing of last vape use, the type of vape used, and the vape’s nicotine concentration. They are also asked how soon they used vapes after waking up and how often they get up at night to vape. 

Among the participants, about 83% of them have tried to quit vaping at least once in the past year, while 42% of them had stopped using e-cigarettes entirely.

When it comes to the side effects of quitting vaping, about 41% of the participants have experienced intense cravings. It is the natural response by the body of a vape user, especially if one has been using e-cigarettes regularly for a long time. The more your brain and body get used to consuming nicotine, the harder for the entire body system to function without it.

A feature story in CTV News provides insight into the experiences of an individual going through the process of quitting e-cigarette use. For a decade, Amanda Calkins has been addicted to using e-cigarettes. She opted for vapes as an alternative to cigarettes, which she also used to smoke years prior to her switch to vaping.

But as time passes, the cost of vapes has risen. Additionally, her financial situation has changed. So, she decided to start her quitting journey.

The withdrawal symptoms for Calkins are severe. After quitting vaping, her anxiety and depression worsened, leading to insomnia that lasted for around two months. However, she felt lighter physically and emotionally after those months. Calkins then started to feel more herself.

When dealing with nicotine withdrawal symptoms, users of vapes and even cigarettes can do numerous things to effectively manage them. 

First, you should seek professional help. You must let your doctor or a healthcare professional know about your plans to quit vaping or smoking. They will then help you manage withdrawal symptoms by recommending nicotine replacement therapy and prescription.

Another thing you must do to manage symptoms of nicotine withdrawal is to eat healthy snacks. Instead of reaching for vapes or cigarettes, you should eat crunchy healthy snacks like raw nuts and carrots to alleviate nicotine cravings. 

Other things you can do to manage withdrawal symptoms are getting enough hours of sleep, staying hydrated, and asking for support from friends and family.

Ways to Quit Vaping or Smoking

If you have been vaping or smoking cigarettes for too long, today would be the best time to start your quitting journey. There are many reasons why you should quit vaping or smoking.

First, you should quit smoking or vaping as it can affect your health drastically. 

The tobacco smoke from cigarettes is proven to be the main source of carcinogens and other harmful chemicals. Once inhaled repeatedly, these chemicals cause your lungs, heart, and other body organs and systems to deteriorate. Smoking also increases your chance of getting cancer, heart disease, gum disease, tooth loss, wrinkles, and many more.

Vapes do not produce tobacco smoke. They can, however, affect your body negatively.

The e-liquids being vaporized by e-cigarettes have chemicals like acetaldehyde, formaldehyde, acrolein, diacetyl, diethylene glycol, and many more. Once they become aerosols, these chemicals are known to cause cancer, lung disease, and other health issues.

Another reason why you should quit smoking or vaping is it can harm your loved ones.

Tons of medical research have already proven that individuals exposed to secondhand smoke can develop heart disease, lung cancer, and other respiratory problems, even though they do not smoke or vape. Secondhand exposure to vape aerosols may also do the same thing to nonusers of vapes since they contain toxic substances and ultrafine particles.

CDC has estimated that secondhand smoke exposure among nonsmokers has led to the deaths of 34,000 individuals due to heart disease and lung cancer yearly.

Secondhand exposure to vape aerosol has also resulted in an increased risk of bronchitis symptoms and shortness of breath among teens. It can even affect infants, children, pregnant people, and individuals with existing lung conditions.

Quitting vaping or smoking takes a lot of time. You may also find it difficult at first, especially since nicotine withdrawal symptoms may occur from time to time. Fortunately, the American Heart Association has suggested numerous helpful tips and ways to make your quitting journey as smooth as possible.

The first thing you should do is to choose your “Quit Day.” 

It is the day within the next seven days when you will cease using tobacco products or vapes. Before the Quit Day comes, you should use the remaining time to gradually decrease the number of cigarettes or puffs you smoke or hit.

To further solidify your commitment to this new journey, you can take a pledge or commitment in front of your loved ones or support group.

Next, choose your method for quitting. There are three methods you can opt for.

The first one is known as the “cold turkey.” It basically means you will be stopping smoking or vaping abruptly on your quit day. This method can be effective for some people since it does not prolong the quitting process.

Another method you can go for is cutting down the number of cigarettes or vape hits you smoke or puff until you eventually stop altogether. Doing this method requires tracking everything on a calendar. As soon as your Quit Day comes, you should stop smoking or vaping completely. 

The last available method is smoking or puffing only part of each cigarette or vape. You must count the number of puffs you regularly take from each cigarette or vape and reduce your puff count every two to three days. Similar to the second method, you must track everything on a calendar. On your Quit Day, you must also stop smoking or vaping completely. 

Once you have picked your quitting method, it is time to talk to health care providers.

Talking to a doctor can further help you quit smoking or vaping since they can prescribe smoking cessation medications, suggest nicotine replacement therapies, and recommend other methods to ease up your quitting journey.

The last thing you must do before your Quit Day comes is to plan everything. You must buy healthy snacks like fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, chewing gum, and others so you can eat them whenever you feel the need to smoke or vape. 

If temptations to smoke or vape kick in, you must find ways to fill the time. You can start working out or going to the gym, watching a movie, enjoying a cup of coffee or tea with friends, trying a new hobby, or simply taking a walk.

Finally, you must eradicate objects that equate to smoking or vaping. It can be hurtful, but you must get rid of every cigarette, lighter, vape, ashtray, and other tobacco and vaping product in your home, office, and car.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Percent of People Successfully Quit Vaping?

Research published in the journal Environmental Research and Public Health found that 42% of people who participated in the study have successfully quit using e-cigarettes.

Are People Usually Able to Quit Vaping?

Yes. The process of quitting vaping is generally difficult for vape users, especially those who have been using vaping devices for a long time. But with proper e-cigarette cessation programs, tools, and support, people can quit vaping regardless of how long it takes.

What Is the Success Rate of Quitting Smoking With Vaping?

The success rate of quitting smoking with vaping is around 9% to 14%. A recent study done to check the effectiveness of vaping in smoking cessation found that of every 100 people who used vapes as an alternative to cigarettes, 9 to 14 of them have successfully quit smoking.

Do People Often Relapse After Successfully Quitting Vaping?

Yes. Relapse can still occur after one has successfully quit vaping. Some reasons behind this are nicotine cravings, social influences, stress and emotional challenges, behavioural triggers, and lack of a strong support system.

Summary

It can be truly surprising to see the statistics behind quitting vaping. 

Adults are seen to have a high chance of quitting vaping since they often treat vapes as the main tool for getting rid of nicotine in their bodies altogether. Some adult e-cigarette users, however, end up using both, leading to the dreaded dual use. 

Alternatively, many teens who use vapes are also attempting to quit e-cigarette use as they are worried about harming themselves as well as ruining relationships.

Relapse, however, is common among vape users attempting to quit due to personal issues, social influences, and so on. Withdrawal symptoms may also occur when attempting to quit vaping or smoking due to strong nicotine dependence.  

Therefore, it is truly important for vape users and even tobacco users who want to quit to seek professional help, plan their quitting journey, and explore hobbies and activities that will prevent them from using vapes or cigarettes again.