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The VHHA reported a significant shift in emergency department visits related to tobacco use. While the number of visits involving patients who vape more than doubled from 23,630 in 2020 to 49,356 in 2023, visits involving patients who used traditional tobacco products such as cigarettes and chewing tobacco declined by 25.4% during this period.
The association said the shift is likely due to a number of factors including the increasing use of e-cigarettes and vaping devices, as well as a decrease in the use of traditional tobacco products. This trend is also reflected in the increasing number of patients who use e-cigarettes and vaping devices as a way to quit smoking.
The data was analyzed using the VHHA's emergency department database from the first quarter of 2020 to the fourth quarter of 2023. It found that vaping was diagnosed as a tobacco-related diagnosis in only 4.2% of emergency department visits in 2020, a total that increased to 10.9% in 2023. This suggests that vaping is becoming a more popular way to quit smoking than traditional tobacco products, according to VHAA officials.
Data from the federal government found that 22% of the U.S. population reported using tobacco products or nicotine in the past 30 days.
