Both adults and kids who vape are more likely to report difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions than their non-vaping, non-smoking peers on two surveys. The results also suggest that kids were more likely to experience mental fog if they started vaping before the age of 14.
Researchers analyzed over 18,000 middle and high school student responses to the National Youth Tobacco Survey and more than 886,000 responses to the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System phone survey from U.S. adults. Both surveys ask similar questions about smoking and vaping habits as well as issues with memory, attention and mental function.
Both studies show that people who smoke and vape -- regardless of age -- are most likely to report struggling with mental function. Behind that group, people whom only vape or only smoke reported mental fog at similar rates, which were significantly higher than those reported by people who don't smoke or vape.
The youth study also found that students who reported starting to vape early -- between eight and 13 years of age -- were more likely to report difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions than those who started vaping at 14 or older.