New study shows that mental health messaging resonates with young e-cigarette users

Young e-cigarette users that indicated they wanted to quit within the next year were more likely to agree that vaping nicotine can worsen feelings of anxiety, depression, and stress, according to a new study from Truth Initiative. 

The findings, recently published in the Journal of Adolescent Health, suggest that campaign messages that were focused on associations between vaping nicotine and anxiety, depression, and stress were relevant to and resonated with e-cigarette users who are trying to quit. 

According to a Truth Initiative survey, 67% of young adult nicotine users plan to quit nicotine in 2026, with most reporting that health is a top reason for quitting. Nicotine addiction can have a real impact on mental health: nicotine use can harm the developing brain and make young people more susceptible to addiction later in life, and nicotine addiction can increase stress and intensify symptoms of depression and anxiety.

Young people consider mental health when thinking about quitting vaping

While young people often say they started vaping to cope with stress and anxiety, concerns about mental health are also driving young people to quit. This and other research suggest that mental health concerns are woven into every stage of many young e-cigarette users’ experiences with vaping and present a unique challenge when they attempt to quit.

In the study, researchers aimed to understand how agreement with campaign-targeted attitudes towards vaping-related anxiety, depression, and stress were associated with quitting stage. Researchers surveyed 15-24-year-old e-cigarette users in 2023 to ask them if they: had no plans to quit vaping, planned to quit vaping in the next year, planned to quit vaping in the next month, or had already quit vaping. They also asked if e-cigarette users agreed that vaping nicotine can intensify feelings of anxiety, stress, and depression – key messages covered in the “It’s Messing with Our Heads” campaign.

Those closer to quitting were concerned about mental health

E-cigarette users who agreed that vaping nicotine can intensify feelings of anxiety had roughly twice the odds of planning to quit vaping in the next year, triple the odds of planning to quit in the next month, and about 5 times greater odds of having already quit, compared to e-cigarette users with no plans to quit. Associations were almost identical for e-cigarette users who agreed with statements that vaping nicotine can intensify feelings of depression and stress. 

Results demonstrating that agreement with mental health messaging was linked to greater odds of being in a later stage of quitting suggest that mental health messaging in quit-vaping campaigns is reaching and resonating with young e-cigarette users.

Many e-cigarette users contemplate quitting, but face challenges

Although the study found that nearly half (46.9%) of the surveyed e-cigarette users had no plans to quit in the next year, a little over a quarter (25.5%) contemplated quitting in the next six months and 10.2% planned to quit in the next month. Another 17.3% indicated that they had already quit. Results from this study align with a recent Truth Initiative survey showing that many young nicotine users want to quit in 2026 and highlights the unique challenge that mental health presents for those who are trying to quit.

These findings shed light on the quitting process and can help researchers tailor quit-vaping support programs to better address the needs of those looking for support to quit.

Resources for quitting nicotine

If you or someone you know wants to make 2026 the year to quit nicotine, there are resources available to help.

Anyone ready to start their quitting journey can take the first step today by visiting EX Program, a free digital quitting resource developed by Truth Initiative with Mayo Clinic. The program features personalized quit plans, interactive support, advice and tips from Mayo Clinic, as well as 24/7 access to the nation's most established online quit community. 

Visit exprogram.com to learn more or text EXPROGRAM to 88709 to sign up today.