Youth Vaping Associated with Co-occurring Risk Factors: Results from National Representative Data

Vaping among youth remains a significant public health concern, with limited effective cessation interventions available.Data from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) were analyzed to investigate the association between vaping and high-risk behaviors.Odds ratios were calculated for subgroups.Odds ratio is a measure of association that measures the odds of an event happening in one group compared to the odds of the same event happening in another group.Analysis of YRBS data from 2015 to 2023 revealed strong associations between current use of electronic vapor products and other high-risk behaviors, including current marijuana use, binge drinking, suicidal ideation, and feelings of sadness or hopelessness.Findings indicate alarming trends across all survey years.The likelihood of current vapers also being current marijuana users increased dramatically, from 7 to 27 times higher.Notably, Asian youth consistently exhibited the highest risk odds ratios, 17 to 81, of vaping among those who reported current marijuana use across all five survey periods.For youth who binge drank in the past, the odds of currently using vapor products ranged from 9 to 18 times greater than those who do not currently use vapor products.American Indian/Alaska Native youth who reported current vaping had an odds ratio of 6.4 for planning how they would attempt suicide in 2021.These findings highlight the critical public health implications of the association between vaping and other risk behaviors, emphasizing the urgent need for targeted interventions aimed at high-risk populations.