E-cigarette Quit Attempts in Emerging Adults: Motivations for Attempts and Predictors of Cessation Barriers

Introduction:
This article reports on a study that examined the characteristics associated with quit attempts, reasons for quitting and resources utilized, and psychological symptoms associated with cessation barriers among college-attending young adults who use electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS). The study surveyed 2007 young adults and found that more than half had attempted to quit ENDS.

Key Points:

* The study found that male sex, college region, earlier ENDS initiation, higher ENDS dependence, disposable or pod device use, and past 30-day combustible use were associated with cessation attempts.
* Health concerns were the most common reason for quit attempts, but participants identified a range of reasons that converged with prior research.
* Unassisted cessation methods were most common, but replacing vaping with another activity, support from family/friends, nicotine replacement, and prescription cessation medications were perceived to be helpful.
* Anxiety sensitivity and ADHD symptoms were associated with more barriers to cessation, particularly with affect management and withdrawal.

Main Message:
The study finds that ENDS quit attempts are common among young adults, but largely unassisted. Encouraging the use of multiple interventions and tailoring interventions to those with psychological vulnerabilities are critical next steps to improving young adults’ success with ENDS cessation. The study highlights the need for increased access to and publicity of evidence-based, low/no cost resources such as digital resources, nicotine replacement therapy, and prescription cessation medications. To be maximally effective, cessation interventions should be multipronged and address the unique challenges faced by individuals with greater anxiety sensitivity and ADHD symptoms, prominent issues in this developmental stage.

Laura J Holt, Anna M Petrey, Adrian J Bravo, Folly Folivi, Stimulant Norms and Prevalence (SNAP) Study Team, E-cigarette Quit Attempts in Emerging Adults: Motivations for Attempts and Predictors of Cessation Barriers, Nicotine & Tobacco Research, Volume 27, Issue 7, July 2025, Pages 1209–1217, https://doi.org/10.1093/ntr/ntae283