Youth and Young Adult Vaping

This project explored vaping among youth and young adults in Nova Scotia, a growing public health concern. Vaping rates among Canadians aged 16 to 19 rose by 74% between 2017 and 2018, prompting urgent attention from public health officials. Although research has shown that social media and marketing play a role in encouraging vaping, there is limited evidence about how youth perceive vaping and vaping ads. There is also little known about how personality traits, social influences, and environmental factors contribute to vaping behaviour.

To help fill these gaps, Dr. Mohammed Al-Hamdani led a survey of youth and young adults in Nova Scotia. The survey aimed to identify different types of vapers, reasons for vaping, the underlying factors that explain vaping behaviour, and what might influence or moderate it. This project was identified as a priority by the Nova Scotia Department of Health and Wellness and Nova Scotia Health and was discussed at the MSSU Bridge Event in November 2019. A collaborative team was formed at the event to support the research by developing infographics to share the findings.