New study finds LGBTQ+ youth vape to cope with stigma and rejection, not for pleasure

A new study explains why LGBTQ+ young people vape at higher rates and it is not about the nicotine

Researchers at George Mason University found that stigma, bullying, family rejection and minority stress are the primary drivers. Vaping is a coping mechanism, not a lifestyle choice.

LGBTQ+ youth experience stigma, discrimination, and distress that make them more vulnerable to using substances like vaping to cope. Inclusive and affirming community spaces that reject substance use behaviours can protect LGBTQ+ youth from vaping.

A study published in Prevention Science in March 2026 set out to understand why. Researchers found that the disparity is not attributable to identity itself but to the social and structural conditions that shape exposure to risk and access to protection. The research, led by PhD student Omolayo Anjorin at George Mason University's College of Public Health, reviewed evidence across individual, interpersonal, community and societal levels, identifying two key pathways: minority stress leading to coping behaviour, and socialisation and identity formation.

LGBTQ+ young people are often minorities within their own families. When family members fail to affirm their identity, the home becomes a major source of conflict and distress. One study found that 85% of gay and lesbian people described their family's response to their identity as mixed, containing both supportive and rejecting elements. Even that ambivalence was associated with poorer mental health and increased likelihood of using substances to cope.

The rising number of anti-LGBTQ+ policies over the last two years, compounded with the ongoing youth mental health crisis, puts this population at even greater risk of nicotine addiction and related mental health concerns. Standard anti-vaping campaigns are largely ineffective for queer youth because they do not address the underlying stressors driving the behaviour. The study found that inclusive and affirming community spaces that actively reject substance use behaviours are among the most effective protective factors available.

The research is part of a Virginia Foundation for Youth grant focused on designing LGBTQ+ inclusive vaping prevention programmes for underage young people.

Reporting: George Mason University College of Public Health