Vaping has become a common activity among high school students, whether it’s used to cope with stress, as part of a social group, or just as a casual habit. Even though it may not be legal- 21 is the legal age to buy a vape, it’s an activity that many students participate in. To understand the culture around vaping, three high school students and a college student from CU Boulder shared their experiences and reasons for vaping.

Vaping gained significant traction in 2017, and its culture has continued to evolve ever since. As it grows in popularity, the perception of vaping—both among students and the general public—has also shifted.

One indicator of the trends in vaping among youth is the number of punishments handed out by schools for in-school vaping over the years. The first high school student who was interviewed blatantly said “It is definitely more prevalent outside of school, which I feel like is good. But I still do feel like it’s a decently big thing within the school.” Data suggests that while vaping among students has decreased slightly since 2017-18, there are likely other reasons for this trend such as students vaping off-campus or avoiding detection to escape school punishments.

A second student discussed the culture surrounding vaping and the reasons people do it in the first place. For some, it provides “a very short-term solution to deal with stress.” Another major reason students vape is that the flavors are often more appealing than traditional cigarettes, and vaping doesn’t have the same lingering smell, making it less obvious to others while still delivering the desired “buzz.”

Additionally, a college student shared insight into how vaping in high school can lead to long-term addiction. Once a person gets hooked on vaping in high school, they are more likely to carry that addiction into college. Despite its prevalence on college campuses, vaping remains a source of shame and is frowned upon, much like it is in high school.

Vaping might offer temporary comfort, much like lighting a match—it provides warmth, but if you hold onto it too long, it will burn you. While vaping is often seen as a way to relieve stress, it certainly has its drawbacks. So, when someone asks, “Want a vape?” yes is not always the right answer.