Change in most commonly used vaping brands by young adults in Texas - 2023-2025.

Abstract

Surveillance of the most popular nicotine vaping brands among young adults is limited and needed to inform FDA regulatory efforts. We examined changes in the most commonly used nicotine vaping brands by Texas college students across 2023, 2024 and 2025. Participants were 6049 18-25-year-olds who vaped nicotine in the past 30-days (Mean age=20.6; 62.3% female). Data were from three repeated cross-sectional samples of Texas college students during spring 2023 (n = 2460), 2024 (n = 2144) and 2025 (n = 1445). Participants reported one nicotine vaping brand they currently use most often. Trends in vaping brands were analyzed using mixed effect growth models. The most used brands across all years were Esco Bar, Elf Bar, Vuse, JUUL, Puff Bar, Geek Bar/Vape, and Lost Mary. Linear mixed effect models indicated that from 2023 to 2025 use of Esco Bar, Elf Bar, JUUL, and Puff Bar decreased, while use of Geek Bar/Vape increased. Quadratic mixed effect models indicated that from 2023 to 2024 use of Vuse and Lost Mary increased; however from 2024 to 2025 Vuse decreased and Lost Mary did not significantly change. Findings indicate that the nicotine vaping brands that young adults in Texas use rapidly changed within a two-year period, which may reflect FDA's recent regulatory efforts targeting the distribution/sale of unauthorized brands like Esco Bar and Elf Bar. Additional surveillance research is needed for rapidly rising brands like Geek Bar/Vape, which are not authorized for marketing or sale by the FDA.