Social Influences Across Vaping Trajectories of Female Tertiary Students

Policy such as stronger restrictions on flavours and visual characteristics of ENDS should be considered to reduce the appeal of vaping to young women. There is a need for stigma reduction surrounding vaping addiction and dependence, and peer support may improve cessation engagement and efficacy for young women. This research explores trajectories of young women's vaping from before first use, to experimenting, progressing to daily use and considering cessation. Throughout this trajectory, social influences form a significant influence on behaviour, emphasising the importance of considering social aspects in health promotion efforts. This study provides new insights on vaping in a tertiary education context and identifies gendered aspects of vaping through the focus on young women, which can then inform health promotion efforts.