Study Says Teens Prefer Mint, Mango Vaping Flavors

A new study reveals teen vaping flavor preferences.

Photo: JacobLund/iStock

A new analysis suggests that teens prefer mint and mango as their vaping flavors of choice for e-cigarettes. Previous research showed that teens were attracted to nicotine vaping by the candy and fruit-flavored products offered by manufacturers. Products and trends are quickly evolving and estimates of the specific e-cigarette flavors teens use are lacking; therefore, scientists wanted to find out which flavors are now preferred by teens. The report, published in JAMA, was supported by NIDA, NCI and the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products. 

The study focused on JUUL products, the most widely used brand, which are available in multiple flavors. Data were from the 2019 Monitoring the Future (MTF) study, which annually surveys 8th, 10th and 12th grade students in U.S. schools. A randomly selected third of MTF respondents were asked, “Which JUUL flavor do you use most often?”

The 2019 data suggests that among both 12th and 10th graders, mint and mango ranked first and second (at about 47 percent and 24 percent for seniors; 44 percent and 27 percent for 10th graders). Among 8th graders, mango was most popular at 34 percent, followed by mint at 29 percent. In all grades, fruit flavoring was ranked third, followed by “Other.” Menthol was among the least popular (less than 2.3 percent for 8th graders; less than 3 percent for 10th graders and less than 6 percent for seniors).

The overall 2019 MTF vaping data released in October showed a significant increase in past-month vaping of nicotine in each of the three grade levels since last year. Additional findings from the 2019 Monitoring the Future Survey, documenting the use of and attitudes about marijuana, alcohol and other drugs, will be released Dec. 18.