Risk of respiratory, gastrointestinal, and constitutional health symptoms: A cross-sectional study of Texas adolescent and young adult nicotine and marijuana vapers

Observational studies investigating the health consequences of vaping among youth and young adults are limited. This study aimed to describe and examine the risk for health symptoms by vape user category (never users, marijuana only, nicotine only, and dual users). Health symptoms included adverse respiratory, gastrointestinal, and constitutional problems. This cross-sectional study analyzed data from Fall 2020, Wave 12 (n = 2389) of the Texas Adolescent Tobacco and Marketing Surveillance System. Chi-square, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and multivariable logistic regression analyses examined the associations between past 30-day vape user category and 15 health symptoms (e.g., coughing, nausea, vomiting, fever). For total symptoms, dual vapers reported the highest mean (2.76[standard deviation = 3.17]), followed by nicotine-only vapers (2.47[2.89]), marijuana-only vapers (1.94[2.60]), and never users (1.56[2.31]), p < .001. Dual vapers and nicotine-only vapers had significantly higher odds of experiencing respiratory symptoms as compared with never users (adjusted odds ratios [AORs] = 2.35, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.30, 4.25; AOR = 1.86, 95% CI: 1.22, 2.81, respectively). Marijuana-only (AOR = 2.41, 95% CI: 1.53, 3.79), nicotine-only (AOR = 2.03, 95% CI: 1.38, 2.99), and dual vapers (AOR = 2.03, 95% CI: 1.15, 3.57) had significantly higher odds of gastrointestinal symptoms compared with never users. Dual vapers had significantly higher odds of experiencing constitutional symptoms as compared to never users (AOR = 1.92, 95% CI: 1.10, 3.34). This study uniquely highlights the risk for gastrointestinal symptoms from vaping. Future research and clinical practice should monitor the occurrence of these symptoms and explore potential mechanisms, such as specific flavorings or chemicals, for the link between vaping and health symptoms.