By now it is widely and officially accepted that since the arrival of vaping products on the market, and resulting increase in vaping, smoking rates among adolescents and young adults have decreased drastically. However, this is not the case among adults aged 55 and older. In fact, the persistent prevalence of smoking within this age group has not declined at all over the past decade.
National data modeling suggests that e-cigarette use has not contributed significantly to reducing cigarette smoking rates among individuals aged 45 and above. And misinformation about the relative health risks of cigarettes and e-cigarettes (as well as other nicotine alternative products), seem to explain this trend. These misconceptions can deter older smokers, who are already less inclined to try new products, from transitioning to potentially less harmful alternatives,
The study, “Older age is associated with greater misperception of the relative health risk of e-cigarettes and cigarettes among US adults who smoke analyzed data from Wave 5 (2018–2019) of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health Study,” looked into data on 8,072 adult smokers. The research team examined the relationship between age groups and perceptions of cigarette and vape risks. They also assessed whether age-related misperceptions were associated with quit attempts or e-cigarette use.
Divided into six age categories, the researchers focused more in detail on adults aged 55 and older compared to those aged 18–54. And as expected, the results highlighted significant differences in risk perceptions across age groups. Adults aged 65 and older were less likely than younger adults (aged 18–24) to perceive cigarettes as very or extremely harmful. Adults aged 55–64 and those aged 65 and older were 1.71 and 1.43 times, respectively, more likely to believe that e-cigarettes are more harmful than cigarettes compared to young adults.
These misconceptions among older adults were strongly linked to lower e-cigarette use within the past month. Notably, this trend was more pronounced among individuals aged 55 and older, than those under 55. Naturally the misperception that vapes pose greater health risks than cigarettes may discourage older adults from considering e-cigarettes as a smoking cessation tool. Additionally, a diminished awareness of the harms of cigarettes further perpetuates smoking behaviors in this demographic.
Where is this misinformation coming from?
There have been countless reports of anti-vape groups exagerating and inflating data against vaping, in order to instill fear and prevent/reduce use, while encouraging authorities to take action against. A recent example of this is a report by Parents Against Vaping E-Cigarettes (PAVE) spreading misinformation about the prevalence of daily e-cigarette use among youth. Tobacco harm reduction expert Dr. Michael Siegel revealed that the organization claims that “more than 1 in 4 youth use e-cigarettes daily.” This figure is drastically exagerated compared to the actual statistic of 1.6% reported by the 2024 National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS), inflating the real number by a factor of 16.
Initially believed to be a one-off error, a deeper investigation revealed that PAVE had been making the same false claim since at least February 2024, citing both the 2023 and 2024 NYTS as sources. And as one would expect, the misinformation has tragically spread beyond PAVE’s website, while being referred to by a number of entities: The New Haven Health Department included the erroneous statistic in a letter to its city council in March 2024; Beacon Mental Health used the claim to promote a youth vaping conference in November 2024; and Wilson Area School District and the Johnson County government adopted the false data in their communications.
The ripple effect of false information
PAVE’s inaccuracies have contributed to a widespread misunderstanding of youth vaping statistics, potentially shaping public opinion and policy. Public health organizations, schools, and local governments unknowingly perpetuated these false claims, illustrating how quickly misinformation can spread and become accepted as fact. This case underscored the need for transparency and precision in public health messaging, and clearly illustrated how misleading statistics not only erode trust but can also misdirect efforts to address genuine public health concerns.
Conducted in Ecuador with 405 Hispanic students aged 18-30, the study found that those who vaped scored lower on cognitive tests compared to non-users, with heavier vaping linked to greater impairment. The research also reported a dose-dependent relationship, where students who vaped more than 20 puffs a day experienced a 13.7% reduction in cognitive scores.
The research team said that these findings are especially alarming for young adults, whose brains are still developing. However, they seem to have failed to take into account that the cognitive decline is very likely to have been caused by underlying stress and mental issues, which would have also led to the vaping, rather than the other way round.
In fact, in line with previous findings, a recent study by Australia’s Matilda Centre for Research in Mental Health and Substance Use, found a link between vaping and mental health issues among teenagers. Surveying over 5,000 students aged 12-14 from New South Wales, Queensland, and Western Australia, the research revealed that around 20% of participants exhibited moderate to severe depression symptoms. The study showed that students with higher stress levels were more likely to vape, with 8.3% of students reporting e-cigarette use. Those experiencing moderate stress were 74% more likely to vape, while those with severe stress had a 64% higher likelihood of vaping.
Though a correlation was identified, this particular study rightly did not establish a causal link between vaping and mental health problems. On the contrary, co-author Emily Stockings emphasized the importance of addressing both vaping and mental health simultaneously, as temporary relief from nicotine use may mask long-term negative effects.
Facts-checking health campaigns could save lives
Meanwhile, back to misconceptions among older adults, the above findings and arguments suggest that launching targeted health communication campaigns may be essential to address specific beliefs and establish facts. Providing accurate information about the relative risks of different nicotine products, could encourage informed decision-making and potentially reduce smoking rates in this age group. Public health campaigns tailored to this demographic could play a crucial role in shifting perceptions, highlighting the risks of smoking, and promoting safer alternatives for those struggling to quit.
