Instanz: TeilenTeilen:Nicotine use linked to mental health problems in adolescentsMargareta G. Kubista Communication UnitUniversity of Gothenburg11.08.2026 13:21Adolescents who use nicotine are more likely to report symptoms of anxiety, depression, and other mental health problems than their peers who do not use nicotine. The associations were found for both traditional tobacco products and tobacco-free nicotine products such as nicotine pouches and e-cigarettes. At the same time, we need a better understanding of how nicotine pouches affect mental health, especially among adolescent girls, where the use of nicotine pouches has increased so rapidly,” she says. The findings come from questionnaire-based studies and long-term follow-up of adolescents, combined with experiments in rats examining how nicotine affects neuronal signaling. The researchers emphasize that socioeconomic factors, stress, alcohol use, other substance use, and individual vulnerability also influence the risk of both mental health problems and nicotine use.