What Young Vapers Actually Want When They Try to Quit | Research

The takeaway

Eighty percent of young adult vapers wanted help quitting, but their preferred methods varied wildly—and nearly 40% also vaped cannabis, which they perceived as less harmful than nicotine.

Young adults who vape and are thinking about quitting, public health professionals designing cessation programs, and parents trying to understand youth vaping culture.

What the researchers found

This survey of 480 Wisconsin residents ages 18–24 who vaped nicotine reveals a population that is motivated to quit but deeply divided on how.

The headline: 80% wanted support to quit vaping. Most had already made at least one quit attempt, typically driven by concerns about addiction, cost, and health. But here's the paradox—the same methods that some young adults endorsed as most helpful (medication, friends/family, healthcare providers, therapists) were also among the methods others said they would never want to use. There was no consensus approach.

The cannabis finding is particularly striking. Nearly 40% of participants also vaped cannabis, and they perceived cannabis vaping as significantly less harmful than nicotine vaping or tobacco for both physical and mental health. This harm perception gap matters because it may make young people less receptive to messages about reducing all substance use.

The motivational data paints a clear picture: cost and addiction concerns drove quit attempts more than health worries. For a generation that came of age with vaping, the health risks may feel abstract, while spending $30–50 per week on pods and worrying about dependence feels immediate and concrete.

Why it matters

Cessation programs for young vapers can't be one-size-fits-all. This data shows that the same treatment modality that appeals to one young person actively repels another. Effective programs will need to offer multiple options and let individuals choose—a personalization approach. The finding that cost and addiction (not health) drive quit motivation also suggests that health-fear messaging may be less effective than financial or autonomy-focused framing for this age group.

The numbers in context

N = 480, ages 18–24. 80% wanted help quitting. ~40% also vaped cannabis. Cannabis vaping perceived as significantly less harmful than nicotine vaping. Most common quit motivators: addiction concerns, cost, health problems.

How the study worked

Cross-sectional online survey of 480 Wisconsin residents aged 18–24 who vaped nicotine in the past month. Assessed vaping initiation, quit history, future quit intentions, treatment knowledge and preferences. Also measured perceived harms of vaping nicotine, cannabis, and CBD products.

Who was studied

N=480 young adults aged 18-24, 50% female, Wisconsin residents who vaped nicotine in the past month

What this study cannot tell us

Wisconsin-specific sample may not generalize nationally. Online survey with self-selected participants. Self-reported vaping and cannabis use. The paradox of the same methods being both most-endorsed and most-rejected may partly reflect the survey design rather than true bimodal preferences.

How to read the evidence

Cross-sectional survey from a single state—good for understanding preferences but limited in generalizability.

When this study was published

Published in 2025 with current data on vaping products and cessation preferences.

The bigger picture

The 40% cannabis co-use rate here is lower than the 74.6% in RTHC-00156's adolescent sample, which may reflect different sampling methods or age ranges. The harm perception gap—viewing cannabis as safer than nicotine—connects to the broader question of how legalization shapes risk perception (RTHC-00162 on stable teen use rates despite legalization). The treatment preference data complements RTHC-00154 and RTHC-00156's findings on cessation outcomes, adding the demand side: what young people actually want from cessation programs.

Replication

Not stated in abstract.

Funding

Not reported in abstract.

Conflicts of interest

Not reported in abstract.

Questions still open

Would offering a menu of cessation approaches (app, medication, counseling, texting) increase engagement compared to single-modality programs? Does the perception that cannabis is safer than nicotine actually affect quit behavior? How should cessation programs address the nearly 40% who also vape cannabis?

Read the original research

Wisconsin Young Adults' Attitudes, Beliefs, Motivations, and Behaviors Surrounding E-Cigarette Use and Cessation.

WMJ : official publication of the State Medical Society of Wisconsin, 124(2), 129-134

WMJ is a peer-reviewed medical journal published by the State Medical Society of Wisconsin, focusing on health issues relevant to the state.

View on PubMed ↗

Citation

Kaye, Jesse T; Williams, Brian S; Bird, Jennifer; Conner, Karen L; Adsit, Rob; Piper, Megan E. (2025). Wisconsin Young Adults' Attitudes, Beliefs, Motivations, and Behaviors Surrounding E-Cigarette Use and Cessation.. WMJ : official publication of the State Medical Society of Wisconsin, 124(2), 129-134.