Lesbian teen girls use e-cigarettes, vaping more: study
A new study has discovered that teen lesbians are more likely to use e-cigarettes like vaping as compared to their straight counterparts.
The study was published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine based on survey data of more than 38,000 US high school students from 2015 to 2019 on the use of e-cigarettes.
The study determined the prevalence of vaping– which was first introduced in the US in 2013– across different sexual orientation, race, and ethnicity group.
Higher use of e-cigarettes among teenaged lesbians
Researchers of the new study estimated that half of all US high school students have tried vaping at least once, and at least one third vape regularly.
They also discovered that its use was higher in black girls that identify as lesbians as compared to black girls who identify as straight, 18.2% against 7.1%.
The rate was also higher in multiracial girls that identify as lesbians as compared to multiracial girls that identify as heterosexual, 17.9% against 11.9%.
However, white girls that identify as lesbians had a lower risk of current vaping as compared to white girls who identify as heterosexual, 9.1% versus 16.1%.
The use of e-cigarettes and vapes among US teens
What’s more, the study noted that vaping prevalence among boys had no significant interactions between sexual orientation and race.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the use of disposable e-cigarettes among US high schools went up from 2.4% to 26.5% from 2019 to 2020.
According to the study authors, the use of e-cigarettes among gay and lesbian teens was presumed to be a coping mechanism against the stress of sexual orientation or gender identity-based discrimination or bullying.
Another presumption of previous surveys was that this was a way to bond with others in their social circles.
However, these early studies had not reported how the prevalence of the use could differ among youth at the intersections of sexual orientation, sex, race, and ethnicity.
Reasons for its popularity among teenaged lesbians
The authors said one reason for this disparity in e-cigarette use among girls but not among boys may be due to higher levels of targeted e-cigarette marketing toward queer women of color.
Previous research has shown that bisexual black women and bisexual Hispanic women aged 18 to 24 reported higher levels of exposure to ads for tobacco products as compared to white heterosexual young women.
However, among young adult men, there were substantial differences in exposure to the ads.
Andy Tan, associate professor at the Annenberg School for Communication and co-writer for the study, said the tobacco industry has targeted marketing toward traditionally marginalized groups for years.
“Sexual, racial, and ethnic minority youth are more likely to report engaging with online tobacco advertising including e-cigarette ads on social media,” Tan added.
He further said he hopes the study findings can lead to further research and interventions to prevent teen vaping at the intersections of sexual orientation, race, and ethnicity.