Smoking and nicotine use can worsen mental health

Did you know smoking and other nicotine and tobacco use can actually worsen mental health? More than 1.6 million middle and high school students in America reported currently using electronic cigarettes, according to the 2024 Annual National Youth Tobacco Survey. Of them,

• More than 1 in 4 (26.3%) of current youth e-cigarette users use an e-cigarette product daily.   
• More than 1 in 3 (38.4%) youth e-cigarette users report using e-cigarettes at least 20 of the last 30 days.

During November, the American Cancer Society hosts the Great American Smokeout^® to encourage and support people quitting smoking and tobacco use. Heart of Iowa Community Services (HICS) knows that physical health struggles can take a mental toll and vice versa. Let’s examine how smoking and other nicotine and tobacco use can affect mental health.

How do nicotine and cigarettes impact mental health?

Studies have shown that regular nicotine use can worsen existing anxiety and make individuals more susceptible to symptoms of depression.

Researchers, many of whom were from the American Heart Association, examined these effects on teens and young adults. They conducted a survey of more than 2,500 individuals ages 13 to 24 to gather data on those who didn’t vape to compare to those who vaped nicotine, THC or both.

Results showed that 60% of those who regularly vaped nicotine through an e-cigarette or other device reported anxiety symptoms — including worries, flashbacks, panic attacks and situational anxieties — within the past week, compared to the approximately 40% of survey respondents who had never vaped.

What’s more, over half of nicotine-only vapers reported depression-like symptoms within the past week and having thoughts of suicide in the past 12 months, compared to 25% and 35% of non-vapers, respectively.

The irony is that about a quarter of nicotine-only vapers and those who vaped both THC and nicotine said they originally started vaping nicotine to feel less stressed, cope with anxiety and calm down. This is similar to what cigarette users name as their reason for smoking.

While nicotine can have an immediate calming feeling, the effect is temporary, leaving those who have a penchant for nicotine with withdrawal symptoms and the inability to deal with some of their reasons for having anxiety.

How does vaping affect mental health?

The study mentioned above also heavily examined those who vape THC in addition to those who vape THC and nicotine. The results were similar.

• About 70% of THC vapers and 60% of dual vapers reported anxiety symptoms within the past week.
• Over half of all vapers noted experiencing symptoms of depression and having thoughts of suicide.

What’s even worse: E-cigarettes and vapes can contain arsenic, aluminum and lead, all of which are toxic and affect the brain and nervous system, leaving those who vape with twice the odds of being diagnosed with depression compared with people who have never vaped.

How can I quit smoking or vaping?

The good news is that while it may seem like a mental challenge to quit smoking, vaping and nicotine use, those who quit report reduced stress, anxiety and depression.