In the global vape consumer market, young people are enthusiastic. About 18.6% of German vape consumers are aged between 18 and 24, and 27.3% are aged between 25 and 34; about 45% of adult vape consumers in the United States are aged between 18 and 34. There are many factors behind this phenomenon: young people are highly receptive to new things, and vapes are fashionable in appearance, diverse in flavors, and cool in smoking methods, which meet their personalized and diversified needs; social factors also make vapes a social medium for young people, and friends share and try them, forming social topics and party activities.

In China, vape consumption is becoming younger. According to data from the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the usage rate in the 15-24 age group is 1.5%, which is higher than other age groups. The popularity of the Internet makes it easy for young people to obtain vapes, and 45.4% of people buy vapes online. Although supervision has been strengthened in recent years to control online sales, the previous relaxed environment has allowed vapes to penetrate widely among young people. In addition, young people pursue trends and show their individuality, and the "fashion" and "sense of technology" elements of vapes attract them. In some trendy neighborhoods, vape stores have become a place for young people to check in, and their unique shapes, bright colors and diverse flavors attract them.

The middle-aged group (around 35 to 55 years old) has gradually become an important force in vape consumption. They are faced with workplace pressure, life pressure, etc., and vapes have become their choice to relieve stress. British media reported that the proportion of middle-aged employees in some high-pressure industries such as finance and advertising has increased significantly in the past five years. At the social level, vapes have been integrated into the social scenes of middle-aged people. During business entertainment and friends gatherings, vapes have a light smell and will not cause discomfort to others, making them easy to accept. Some high-end vape products, with their exquisite appearance and delicate taste, have become a "sharp tool" for middle-aged people to show off their taste and build closer relationships socially.

Some middle-aged people choose vapes for health reasons. They believe that vapes are healthier than traditional tobacco and hope to improve their health by using vapes. A study by the University of Washington shows that middle-aged smokers aged 30 and above who switch to vapes can improve their health. However, vapes are not really healthy. Medical research shows that nicotine in vapes is addictive, and long-term intake increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. The aerosols produced contain harmful substances such as ethylene glycol, aldehydes, and nitrosamines. Some middle-aged people fall into the cognitive misunderstanding of "relative health" and fail to recognize the health risks of vapes.

The proportion of teenagers using vapes is increasing. According to a report by the World Health Organization, in many countries, the proportion of teenagers using vapes exceeds that of adults. vape companies use various marketing methods to target teenagers. Advertisements and soft articles are common on social media. Internet celebrities and bloggers are hired to recommend vapes in live broadcasts and short videos, making vape smoking a fashionable behavior. vape flavor marketing caters to the preferences of teenagers, with fruit, dessert, beverage flavors such as strawberry and mango, etc., which are sweet and cover up the pungent smell of nicotine.

In order to protect young people from the harm of vapes, domestic and foreign regulatory authorities have taken a series of measures. Domestically, the State Tobacco Monopoly Administration announced the "vape Management Measures" in 2022, prohibiting the sale of vapes to minors; the national standard stipulates that the flavor of vape products is limited to tobacco flavor, and the sale of flavored vapes and vapes that can add self-atomizers is prohibited. Internationally, the UK intends to ban disposable vapes, limit flavors, promote plain packaging, and change displays; New Zealand bans the sale of disposable vapes and imposes heavy penalties on the sale of vapes to minors.

Different age groups have different psychological factors for using vapes. Young people try vapes out of curiosity, and teenagers have a strong desire to explore the unknown, and the "taboo" color of vapes attracts them. The middle-aged group regards vapes as a "buffer" to relieve stress and regulate emotions. From the perspective of the psychological mechanism of addiction, nicotine in vapes is the key. After contact, it stimulates the brain to secrete dopamine, produces pleasure and satisfaction, and forms dependence.

vapes play an important role in the social field. In the social circles of young people, vapes are a trend symbol and can be seen everywhere at gatherings and parties, where people share and exchange tastes and brand experiences. In the social scenes of middle-aged people, vapes have a light smell during business entertainment and are easily accepted. However, there is false propaganda in the vape market, misleading consumers. Manufacturers exaggerate the "harm reduction" effect, downplay the addictiveness and harmful substances, and mislead young people and middle-aged people.