A survey of quit vaping strategies and relapse triggers for maintaining youth and young adult vaping abstinence in Canada

ObjectivesTo examine whether various quit strategies and relapse triggers are associated with maintenance period in a sample of people who quit vaping.MethodYoung Canadians who used to vape (N = 772) completed an online survey on maintenance period, quit strategies, and relapse triggers. Logistic regression was employed to variables associated with maintenance period.ResultsPeople with past vaping history who quit unassisted or through eliminating social influences were more likely to achieve long-term maintenance. Those who quit through thinking about health improvements, distraction techniques, or self-restriction were less likely to achieve long-term maintenance. Other substance use or sensory vaping cues as relapse triggers were less likely to be experienced for those in long-term maintenance. Using very high concentrations of nicotine prior to quitting, and being unemployed were associated with lower likelihood for long-term maintenance.ConclusionsIt is important to consider quit strategies, relapse triggers, and nicotine use prior to quitting in vaping cessation programing as they are related to maintenance period.