Key Findings

1. Overall Adult Usage Continues to Rise

• 6.5% of U.S. adults reported using e-cigarettes in 2023 — the highest rate recorded in the five-year trend.
• After a brief decline in 2020, e-cigarette use has climbed steadily since 2021, pointing to a resurgence post-COVID disruptions.

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2. Young Adults (Ages 21–24) Remain the Highest Users

• E-cigarette use peaks among the 21–24 age group at 15.5% in 2023.
• Adults aged 18–20 follow at 10.3%, indicating that nicotine consumption is concentrated in early adulthood.
• In contrast, adults aged 65+ report use under 1%, highlighting a stark age gap.

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3. Men Vape More Than Women

• In 2023, 7.6% of men used e-cigarettes compared to 5.5% of women.
• The gender gap remains consistent across all years, though both genders show upward trends since 2020.

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4. Racial & Ethnic Disparities Are Shifting

• White non-Hispanic adults have the highest usage at 7.5%, up from 5.1% in 2019.
• Black non-Hispanic adults rose from 3.4% to 5.7%.
• Hispanic adults increased from 2.8% to 4.4%.
• These increases point to a broadening demographic spread of e-cigarette use in the U.S.

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Implications

The data reveals a growing normalization of e-cigarette use among young adults, particularly those aged 21 to 24. While e-cigarettes are often promoted as alternatives to traditional smoking, their rise among non-smoking populations — especially youth — raises ongoing public health concerns.

Racial disparities also reflect complex factors such as targeted marketing, access to information, and cultural perceptions of harm. The increasing rates among Black and Hispanic adults signal a need for equity-focused prevention efforts.

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Tools & Methods

• Data Source
• The analysis is based on the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) 2019–2023, administered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
• The survey includes self-reported data on health behaviors, including tobacco and e-cigarette use, collected through in-person and telephone interviews.
• Data Preparation
• Data was cleaned and filtered using Microsoft Excel and Python (pandas) to extract relevant demographic variables such as:
  • Age group
  • Gender
  • Race and ethnicity
  • Year of survey
  • Current e-cigarette use (yes/no)
• Data Visualization
• Interactive visualizations were created using Tableau Public, allowing viewers to:
  • Filter trends by year, demographic group, and usage rate
  • Observe changes over time with clear bar graphs and line charts
• The dashboard supports exploratory analysis, encouraging users to draw their own conclusions based on the available data.

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Conclusion

E-cigarette use in the U.S. reached a five-year high in 2023, led by younger adults and expanding across racial groups. As we report these findings in 2025, they offer important direction for education campaigns, policy development, and community health strategies.

🔗 View the interactive dashboard:
Electronic Cigarette Use Among Adults in the U.S. (2025 Report)