Study: Teenagers and young adults ‘hacking’ e-cigarettes to add THC, recharge battery of disposable vapes

Teenagers and young adults are the primary users of e-cigarettes, with 10 percent of U.S. high school-aged adolescents and 11 percent of U.S. young adults (18-24 years) vaping. A new study in the July 2024 Pediatrics, “Modification of Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems among Adolescents and Young Adults,” found that not only are teenagers and young adults vaping, but they’re modifying e-cigarettes in unexpected and potentially dangerous ways.

Researchers examined survey data of 1,018 teenagers and young adults, ages 14 to 29, who had used e-cigarettes at least once in the past month and found that many had modified the devices in ways not intended by the manufacturers, known as “hacking.”

The study found 40.1 percent had refilled devices not intended to be refilled and 35.8 percent recharged the battery of disposable pods. Other “hacks” included mixing nicotine and cannabis liquids and adding THC to vape devices designed to vape only nicotine.

These modifications may expose youth and young adults to additional harm through increased risk of burns from e-cigarette explosion, lung injury due to contaminants added, and covert use of marijuana. Modifications can also violate laws. For example, banned e-cigarette flavors can be “hacked” into devices to bypass flavor restrictions.

Friends (64.4 percent) and social media (46.7 percent) were the most common sources of information on how to modify e-cigarettes.

Study authors concluded that as modifying or “hacking” e-cigarettes was associated with increased vaping, there is a need for more research to understand this dangerous practice and that lawmakers should consider e-cigarette “hacking” when passing laws and regulations on e-cigarettes.

The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 67,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults.

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