Vaping and E-Cigarette Use in West Virginia
This Science & Technology Note provides information on the health effects of vaping, vaping rates in West Virginia, and gives an overview of the vaping regulations of West Virginia and its neighboring states.
Research Highlights
West Virginia has one of the highest vaping rates in the nation.
Vaping has numerous negative short-term health effects, but the long-term effects are not yet understood.
Vaping is not FDA-recommended for use as a smoking cessation technique.
Vaping in WV
West Virginia has among the highest rates of vaping in teens and adults across the country, and vaping rates among teens has more than doubled in recent years. Although schools implement tobacco use prevention curricula, many West Virginia students report that they don’t know the health risks of vaping and don’t know that most vapes contain nicotine. Most long-term vape use is established in adolescence, and vapes have been the most-used tobacco product in youth since 2014. Teens often report getting vapes from friends, family members, and vape stores that don’t check IDs.
More West Virginians report vaping than the national average. Adapted from Vaping Statistics by State and America’s Health Rankings.
Health Effects of Vaping
Vaping results in many adverse health effects, including changes to the brain, heart, and lungs. Vaping is linked to decreases in sleep, mood, learning, memory, attention span, and impulse control. Vaping causes increased heart rate and blood pressure, and can raise the risk of heart attacks, arrhythmias, blood clots, and heart failure. In the lungs, vaping results in airway inflammation and irritation, shortness of breath, and coughing. Over time, vaping may result in asthma, reduced lung function, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. A 2020 study showed 2800 severe cases and 68 deaths from vaping-associated lung injury in the previous year.
Nicotine crosses the placental barrier, increasing the risk of premature birth and low birth weight. Vaping is also thought to be associated with increased risks of cancer, diabetes, kidney, heart, and lung disease, but the long-term studies needed to more definitively answer these questions do not exist yet. Proponents of vaping advertise that vaping is safer than smoking because they contain fewer harmful chemicals. This is true, though chemical analysis of vapes found heavy metals and cancer-causing compounds.
Vape advocates often highlight the use of vapes as a way to stop smoking cigarettes, but more than 60% of individuals who vape have never smoked cigarettes. Some studies show that vaping may help individuals quit smoking, while others showed that people who used vapes to try to quit smoking were 15% less likely to successfully quit. Vaping is not recommended by the FDA as a smoking cessation technique. The most effective methods to stop using nicotine were quitlines that provided coaching, resources, and nicotine replacement therapy, such as the West Virginia Tobacco Quitline and the Baby and Me Tobacco Free program. Previously, West Virginia operated the RAZE program, designed to prevent teens from starting to use tobacco products, but this program was discontinued in July 2025 due to federal funding cuts.
Vaping Regulations
All states prohibit selling vape products to individuals under the age of 21. Twenty states include vaping in smoke-free indoor air laws, and 33 states have a tax on vape products. Most states, including West Virginia, allow local municipalities to enact more stringent vaping regulations than the state minimums. At least 35 of West Virginia’s counties include vaping in clean indoor air ordinances.
At the state level, West Virginia prohibits vaping on school grounds, in state-owned vehicles, and in correctional facilities. Businesses that wish to sell vapes must have a registration certificate and pay a one-time fee of $30. Vape liquids are taxed at 7.5 cents per milliliter. Depending on the concentration of nicotine in vape liquid, 1 milliliter of vape liquid can equal between 2 and 20 cigarettes. In comparison, cigarettes are taxed at $1.20 for a package of 20 and $1.50 for a package of 25. West Virginia introduced SB 758 in 2025, designed to limit vape shop advertisements and locations, but it did not pass out of committee.
West Virginia’s neighbor states all address specific location prohibitions on vaping, licensing fees, and vape taxes in their laws. Kentucky recently implemented major changes to its vaping laws, and Pennsylvania is considering a bill to establish a directory of licensed vape products.
| Vaping in State Clean Indoor Air Act | Seller Licensing Fees | Taxes | Additional Restrictions | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Virginia | No | $30 one-time | 7.5 cents per mL | Prohibited in schools, state-owned vehicles, and correctional facilities. |
| Kentucky | No | $50 annually | Pre-filled: $1.50 Refillable: 15% |
Prohibited in schools, state property, and veterans’ facilities. Products must be approved |
| Maryland | Yes | $25 annually | 20-50% depending on device | Child-resistant packaging is required. Flavored vapes may only be sold in licensed shops. |
| Ohio | Yes | $900 annually | $1.20 per mL | Products must be approved. Free samples prohibited. |
| Pennsylvania | No | $25 annually | 40% wholesale price | Prohibited in coal mines and schools. |
| Virginia | No | $600 annually | Devices: 20% Liquids: 11 cents per milliliter |
Products must be approved. Vending machines and mail/online orders are prohibited. |
There are a variety of model vape regulations that West Virginia could adopt. The state currently has the lowest vape licensing fees in the region, with surrounding states requiring an annual fee while West Virginia levies a one-time fee. Changes to the fee structure could result in increased revenue for the state, but could discourage business owners from operating in the state. Changing the tax rate on vaping supplies could be another option, as West Virginia’s tax rate is the lowest in the region. Additional options that the state could consider may be a limitation on vape flavors or products available or amending packaging requirements for vapes.
This Science and Technology Note was prepared by Madison Flory, PhD, West Virginia Science & Technology Policy Fellow on behalf of the West Virginia Science and Technology Policy (WV STeP) Initiative. The WV STeP Initiative provides nonpartisan research and information to members of the West Virginia Legislature. This Note is intended for informational purposes only and does not indicate support or opposition to a particular bill or policy approach. Please contact info@wvstep.org for more information.
