Teen vaping associated with sexual risk behavior, finds study

Researchers claim that the vapor/smoke generating tool Electronic Vapor Product (EVP) puts teenagers into higher risk of sexual risk behaviors.

A related study found that adolescent EVP use is associated with a higher likelihood of engagement in several substance-use behaviors.

According to the studies that will be presented during the Paediatric Academic Societies Meeting, EVPs remain the most popular tobacco product.

"Vaping has reached epidemic proportions among US youth. Our study not only expanded upon previous studies examining teen vaping and drug use, but we also investigated novel associations between vaping and various sexual risk behaviors. In this analysis of a nationally representative sample of US teens, we found that vaping was associated with engagement in sexual risk behaviors such as early sexual debut and alcohol use before sex," said Andrew Adesman, senior investigator of the study.

Past research has shown that high school EVP users are more likely to engage in certain risk behaviors. However, the association of current EVP usage and EVP usage frequency with specific alcohol and drug-related risk behaviors has not been studied using a recent national sample.

Dr. Adesman, principal investigator of the study, said, "Although vaping was strongly associated with many substance-use and sexual risk behaviors, we were surprised that, in general, teens who vape only occasionally were no less likely to engage in these risk behaviors than teens who vape frequently. Initiatives to reduce youth substance use and youth engagement in risky sexual behaviors should include efforts to reduce teen vaping at all frequency levels.