Electronic cigarettes and suicidal behaviours among adolescents and young adults: An unclear relationship that calls for further research

Henry  Onyeaka; Chioma  Muoghalu; Uaiye  Enosolease; Kammarauche  Asuzu; Kwaku Oppong Asante

Henry Onyeaka Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston MA, USA https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1987-0941
Chioma Muoghalu Department of Pediatrics, Plains Regional Medical Center, Clovis, NM, USA https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0258-8173
Uaiye Enosolease Department of Mental Health, University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Benin City, Edo, Nigeria https://orcid.org/0009-0003-5004-8707
Kammarauche Asuzu Yale Child Study Center, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5792-3605
Kwaku Oppong Asante https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0206-3326

Abstract

A recent systematic review by Livingston and colleagues (Livingston et al., 2022) sought to synthesize available evidence on the physical and mental health outcomes associated with e-cigarette use in adolescent populations. Among other findings, suicidal behaviours were one of the most frequently reported mental health problems among young adults who indicated ever using electronic cigarettes. We provide a complementary perspective that continues the conversation about the mental health consequences of electronic cigarettes among youth, particularly in relation to suicide and suicidal behaviours