Investigating Factors Associated with Adolescent Vaping and Cessation: A Qualitative Study

Background: Since 2015, electronic-cigarette (e-cigarette) use increased among adolescents, necessitating research on effective cessation strategies. This qualitative research examined adolescents’ vaping behaviour and the perceived effectiveness of existing and proposed cessation resources, particularly Health Canada’s 2019 “Consider the Consequences of Vaping” video. Methods: In 2019, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 14 youth (ages 14-18) with e-cigarette use experience in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The interviews were analyzed using qualitative description in NVivo. Results: Participants were introduced to vaping through members of their social groups. Parental guardians and friend groups were highly influential in encouraging and discouraging vaping. Almost all participants held the belief that vaping is healthier than smoking and said that Health Canada’s 2019 “Consider the Consequences of Vaping” campaign video required improvement. Many participants desired to cease vaping but lacked the resources to do so. Conclusions: This research suggests that a presentation from an ex-vaper, in addition to counselling might be the most useful resources to aid young people to cease vaping.