Young vapers are up to TWICE as likely to suffer depression, anxiety or panic attacks than non-users, according to ANOTHER damning study
Young vapers are up to two times more likely to suffer mental health problems compared to non-users, according to another damning study.
Researchers led by the American Heart Association surveyed 2,500 children and young adults from 13 to 24 years old online.
Up to 70 percent of those who vaped THC-only reported suffering anxiety such as worries, flashbacks and panic attacks in the past week. For comparison, among the participants who never vaped 40 percent reported this.
Half of the vapers also said they had depression, compared to 25 percent of those in the non-vaping group. The scientists noted that youngsters are more vulnerable to addiction to nicotine products, raising questions about why people were taking up the habit.
The study is another setback for those who argue vapes are a healthy alternative to cigarettes, with previous research linking them to cancer, heart disease and other negative effects.
Researchers led by the American Heart Association found young people using vapes were more likely to have depression, anxiety or panic attacks (stock image)
E-cigarettes were once held up as the healthy way to quit smoking, but a slew of studies has now warned of the risks they pose.
Just this month a study warned they raise the risk of oral cancer by the same amount as cigarettes, while in January another paper found the devices leave patients at higher risk of lung inflammation.
Earlier this week it was even revealed that a 45-year-old from Indiana coughed up three pints of blood and was hospitalized after using the devices.
Dr Joy Hart, a health communication expert at the University of Louisville in Kentucky, said: ‘Younger people have long been vulnerable to tobacco use, may experience greater harm from nicotine and other drugs and may be targeted by tobacco advertisers and marketers.
‘E-cigarette devices are still relatively new compared to other tobacco products, such as combustible cigarettes and pipes, so more research is needed to try to better understand the popularity of e-cigarettes, including reasons for vaping and the associated health risks among youth.’
Of the participants, 1,359 reported that they had vaped in the last month.
Researchers, who presented findings at the AHA’s health scientific session in Boston this week, 370 vaped nicotine only, 159 vaped THC only and 830 vaped both.
Approximately 70 percent of THC vapers said they had anxiety within the past week, while for nicotine-only 60 percent reported these symptoms.
Over half of vapers in all three groups also reported symptoms of depression in the past week.
The scientists defined depression as difficulty in engaging in or being interested in activities they normally enjoyed, whether they felt that depression interfered with their ability to do things they needed to do at work, at school or at home and whether it affected their social lives or relationships.
Asked about addiction to nicotine, the scientists said this was most common among those who used nicotine-only vapes.
Dr Hart said: ‘Although we knew that THC was commonly vaped, we were surprised to have so many dual vapers—more than double the nicotine-only vapers.
‘Dual use may either compound the addictive nature of vaping or attract people who are more prone to addiction, as well as have an impact on symptoms of depression.
‘These findings suggest the importance of addressing the use of THC and the need for building resilience and coping skills for teens and young adults.’
