Young Adults Want to Quit Nicotine Vaping More Than Cannabis Vaping

Young adults expressed stronger motivation to stop vaping nicotine than cannabis. Key barriers to quitting included lack of self-control over nicotine vaping, product accessibility, treatment cost, habitual use, addiction, low perceived risk, coping with mental health, and personal identity linked to vaping. Facilitators included cost burden, protecting relationships, negative emotions about health harms, and health concerns.

Thematic analysis of interviews with 20 racially and ethnically diverse California young adults (mean age 22.8) who vaped nicotine and/or THC in 2024-2025, mapped to the Capability, Opportunity, Motivation, and Behavior (COM-B) model and Theoretical Domains Framework.

As vaping becomes the dominant nicotine and cannabis delivery method among young adults, understanding what helps and hinders quitting is essential for intervention design. The finding that motivation to quit differs between nicotine and cannabis vaping suggests cessation programs may need substance-specific approaches.

This study fills a gap in understanding dual-substance vaping cessation among young adults. While nicotine cessation has established intervention frameworks, cannabis vaping cessation is a newer challenge with fewer evidence-based tools. The overlap in barriers suggests some interventions could address both simultaneously.

Small qualitative sample (n=20) from California only. Self-selected participants may not represent all young adult vapers. Cannot quantify the relative importance of different barriers and facilitators. Cross-sectional interviews capture perspectives at one point, not trajectories of quitting.