Teen vaping is on the rise in Europe, and new research warns it could be fueling a cascade of health and addiction risks among young people.
A comprehensive analysis published in the journal Tobacco Control has linked e-cigarette use among teenagers and young adults to higher rates of asthma, poor mental health, and transitions to smoking and substance use.
The study drew on data from 56 separate pieces of research published between 2016 and 2024. Its findings suggest that adolescents who vape are nearly three times more likely to start smoking traditional cigarettes compared to their peers who do not use e-cigarettes.
The risks extend further, with strong associations between vaping and alcohol consumption, binge drinking, and marijuana use.
Although the researchers emphasized that the results cannot definitively prove cause and effect, the strength and consistency of the links raise concerns about the long-term consequences of vaping among Europe’s youth.
“The findings support stronger public health measures to protect teens from the risks associated with vaping,” said Su Golder, associate professor in health sciences at the University of York and one of the study’s authors.
The research also highlighted troubling physical health concerns. Young people who vaped were found to have a 20 to 36 per cent higher likelihood of being diagnosed with asthma.
Other studies in the analysis connected vaping with increased risk of cough, brain injuries, and even suicide. According to Greg Hartwell, a clinical assistant professor at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, vaping often acts as a gateway to smoking.
“We found consistent evidence around transitions to smoking which of course, in turn, opens the door to the multitude of harms that conventional cigarettes bring,” Hartwell explained.
Survey data underscores the scale of the problem. Last year, 22 per cent of 15- and 16-year-olds in Europe reported regular vaping—a sharp increase from 14 per cent just five years earlier. The rise has alarmed public health experts, particularly as e-cigarettes are often marketed as a safer alternative to smoking.
Not all experts agree that vaping is the direct cause of these health and behavioral issues. Ann McNeill, a professor of tobacco addiction at King’s College London, who was not involved in the study, cautioned that more evidence is needed.
“When it comes to mental health issues, for example, it is not clear whether vaping caused the condition or whether the condition led young people to vape,” McNeill noted.
Nonetheless, policymakers are under pressure to act. Across Europe, measures such as higher taxes on vapes and restrictions on single-use e-cigarettes are being debated to curb youth uptake.
For researchers like Golder, the message is clear: “The associations are strong enough that we need stronger action now to prevent a new generation from becoming hooked.”
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