Three State-Level Tobacco Control Policies to Address Vaping Among Young People and Changes in Vaping Product Access and Use,Vermont,2019-2021

Abstract

In response to the sharp increase in vaping among children, adolescents, and young adults, the Vermont legislature passed 3 policies in 2019 to reduce access to and availability of tobacco products. The objective of this case study was to describe the content, context, actors, processes, and evaluation of the policies: increasing the purchase age to 21 years, establishing a wholesale tax on electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes), and banning the mail delivery of all tobacco products. We used state-level surveillance data from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey, the Young Adult Survey, and the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System to assess changes in access to and use of vaping products among children, adolescents, and young adults before and after policy implementation. We found decreases in perceived access to vaping products among middle and high school students. In 2019, 29% of middle school students and 73% of high school students reported that it was easy to access vaping products, which decreased in 2021 to 18% and 58%, respectively. Past-30-day use of vaping products decreased among both middle school and high school students from 2019 to 2021. In 2019, 8% of middle school students and 26% of high school students reported past-30-day use of vaping products, which decreased in 2021 to 5% and 16%, respectively. Vaping behavior among young adults increased in Vermont. In 2017, 6% of young adults reported current e-cigarette use, rising to 22% in 2022. Tobacco control strategies should continue to focus on evidence-based policies that curtail initiation, limit use, and expand treatment for nicotine and tobacco use among children, adolescents, and young adults.