EU drug agency warns teens using vapes for cannabis, opioids as nicotine levels surge

A new European Union Drugs Agency (EUDA) report highlights that electronic cigarettes, originally intended for nicotine, are increasingly being used by adolescents to inhale synthetic and semi‑synthetic cannabinoids and powerful synthetic opioids. The report cites seizures of liquid containing these substances across many EU member states and warns of health risks such as accidental ingestion and variable potency. Portugal currently lacks data on illegal‑substance vaping, according to the Portuguese Society of Pneumology.

Separately, a study published in JAMA Psychiatry reports that Mexican teenagers’ average urinary cotinine—a nicotine metabolite—has nearly tripled over a few months in late 2024, indicating a sharp rise in nicotine exposure from vaping. The findings underscore growing concerns about the health impacts of high‑dose nicotine and the broader misuse of vaping devices among youth.