Are you trying to quit vaping? So are a lot of Americans.
We've all made our New Year resolutions. For some, quitting vaping is at the top of that list.
A new study shows Iowans are more likely than some of their peers to be looking for ways to quit.
How many Iowans vape?
From 2022 to 2023, nationally, current e-cigarette use among high school students declined from 14% to 10%, according to a study from the CDC. That's down from more than 25% in 2019. E-cigarettes remained the most commonly used tobacco product among youths.
Iowa saw similar numbers in 2019, when according to the University of Iowa's Institute of Public Health Research and Policy, a senior survey at a large Iowa City high school in 2019, 50% responded "Yes" to the question “Have you ever vaped?”
About 6.7% of adults in Iowa report using e-cigarettes and other electronic vaping products in their lifetime and now use them either daily or some days, according to America's Health Rankings.
How can I stop vaping?
The Truth Initiative, which aims to inspire lives free from smoking, vaping and nicotine, has tips for how to quit vaping and deal with withdrawals. Its top tips are to exercise, use distraction and lean on your support system.
Smokefree.gov also gives tips on how to quit vaping including knowing why you're quitting, committing to your quit and creating a plan.
SAMHSA has a free, confidential, 24/7, 365-day-a-year treatment referral and information service in English and Spanish for those struggling with substance abuse. You can call 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
Quitline Iowa is also a free program sponsored by the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services. The program will connect you with a personal coach to develop a quit any form of tobacco and provide ongoing support. Visit quitlineiowa.org or call 1-800-QUIT-NOW to get started.
Which states are most likely to quit vaping?
A new research study from SnusBoss, a nicotine pouch seller, revealed the top states that are trying to quit vaping.
SnusBoss analyzed Google data to calculate the level of interest out of 100 for terms related to quitting vaping in each state. Final scores were given to each state by calculating an average of the level of interest scores for each term.
Mississippi - 81/100
Arkansas - 76.75/100
Kentucky - 75.25/100
Oklahoma - 75/100
Michigan - 75/100
Alabama - 73.25/100
Indiana - 73/100
Ohio - 69.75/100
Tennessee - 66.5/100
Minnesota - 65.5/100
Iowa is 19 on the list with a score of 56 out of 100. Search terms that identified this were "quit vaping," "stop vaping," "popcorn lung" and "vaping side effects."
Editor's note: This article has been updated after publication to report more recent youth vaping data from the CDC.
Victoria Reyna-Rodriguez is a general assignment reporter for the Register. Reach her at vreynarodriguez@registermedia.com or follow her on Twitter @VictoriaReynaR.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowans want to quit vaping. Here are tips to help you stop
