As vaping continues to evolve, there is an ongoing debate about its impact on public health—particularly when it comes to youth use. However, the broader picture shows that vaping has significant value as a harm-reduction tool for adults who are looking to quit smoking.  

In the United States, for every young person using disposable vapes, there are at least 13 adults doing the same. Prohibition efforts could push these adults back to smoking, undermining public health efforts to reduce cigarette consumption and smoking-related diseases. 

Adults vs. Youth: Who's Really Using Vapes? 

According to the 2022 National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS), approximately 870,000 middle and high school students reported using disposable vapes. While this number is concerning, it's dwarfed by the number of adults who rely on vaping as a safer alternative to smoking. A key example is Altria’s Q2 report, which shows that 11.7 million adults over the age of 21 are currently using disposable vapes. These numbers underscore the fact that vaping is primarily an adult behavior, despite the focus on youth use in public discourse. 

The contrast between adult and youth vape usage suggests that the conversation around vaping needs to include its role in helping millions of adults reduce their risk of smoking-related diseases. 

The CDC's Data on Smoking and Vaping 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report that tobacco use remains the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the United States. In 2022, 49.2 million adults, or nearly 1 in 5, used tobacco products, including cigarettes. Smoking, in particular, is linked to numerous diseases like cancer, cardiovascular issues, and lung diseases. Despite extensive public health campaigns, smoking still accounts for a significant portion of adult tobacco use. 

The data is clear: cigarette smoking is far more dangerous than vaping, and it remains a serious public health crisis. Given that vaping is a superior alternative, it’s critical to ensure that adult smokers have access to high-quality and affordable products rather than forcing them back to combustible cigarettes through restrictive policies. 

Why Prohibition is Not the Answer 

Prohibition efforts, such as blanket bans on vaping products, may seem like a straightforward solution to combat youth vaping, but they ignore a much larger issue: adult access to alternative nicotine products.  

A ban on vaping products risks pushing adults back to smoking, reversing decades of progress in reducing smoking rates. Moreover, studies like one conducted at Yale have shown that bans can lead to unintended consequences, including increased smoking rates among adults. 

Prohibition also ignores the reality that adults should have the right to choose alternatives to smoking. Millions of Americans are making informed decisions and switching from cigarettes to vaping. Banning these products would effectively strip them of this option, undermining public health. 

Addressing Youth Vaping While Protecting Adults 

No one is denying the need to address youth vaping, but the solution should not come at the expense of adult smokers. Policymakers need to take a balanced approach that includes stricter enforcement of age verification measures, penalties for retailers who sell to minors, and more public health education campaigns targeted at young people.  

At the same time, adults who are trying to quit smoking should not be penalized by overreaching bans that make it harder to access nicotine alternatives like vaping. 

The data clearly shows that the majority of disposable vape users are adults, not youth. Efforts to curb youth vaping should be paired with policies that recognize vaping’s role in reducing smoking rates among adults. Prohibition will not solve the problem—it will only push people back to smoking, worsening the public health crisis.