Prevalence and Factors Associated With Youth Vaping Cessation Intention and Quit Attempts.

OBJECTIVES

This study sought to examine the prevalence and factors associated with youth vaping cessation behaviors.

METHODS

Current (past 30-day) electronic-cigarette (e-cigarette) users from the 2020 National Youth Tobacco Survey ( = 1660, typically aged 11-18 years) were analyzed to examine the prevalence of youth intention to quit vaping, past-year quit attempts, and the frequency of quit attempts. Multivariable logistic or linear regressions were performed to assess the correlates with youth vaping cessation behaviors.

RESULTS

In 2020, 53.4% of current e-cigarette users reported intention to quit vaping and 67.4% reported having tried to quit vaping. Intention to quit was lower among female individuals (versus male individuals, adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 0.7, = .0004), users of a modifiable system (versus disposable e-cigarettes, aOR = 0.4, = .0204), and dual or poly users (versus sole e-cigarette use, aOR = 0.7, = .0144). e-cigarette harm perception was positively associated with intention to quit (aOR = 2.2, < .0001) and past-year quit attempts (aOR = 1.6, = .0037). Reasons for e-cigarette use were related to cessation behaviors. Adolescents who vaped because of curiosity had higher odds of past-year quit attempts (aOR = 1.4, = .0306), whereas users to disguise vaping had a lower likelihood of intention to quit (aOR=0.4, < .0001) and past-year quit attempts (aOR = 0.7, = .0126). The average number of past-year quit attempts was 5.3, and it was lower among female individuals (versus male individuals), users of e-cigarettes with prefilled pods or cartridges (versus disposable e-cigarettes), and those with nicotine cravings (versus no nicotine craving).

CONCLUSIONS

Intention to quit vaping and past-year quit attempts are prevalent among US adolescent e-cigarette users. The study findings inform the development of multifaceted vaping cessation programs to take sex, e-cigarette devices, vaping reasons and patterns, harm perception, and nicotine dependence into account.