Swedish studies link nicotine use to mental health problems in youth
Young people who use nicotine more often report symptoms of anxiety, depression, and other mental health problems than peers who abstain. Girls appear to be particularly vulnerable, with more sleep problems,. . .
Young people who use nicotine more often report symptoms of anxiety, depression, and other mental health problems than peers who abstain. Girls appear to be particularly vulnerable, with more sleep problems, anxiety, low mood, and concentration difficulties among those who began using tobacco. In three studies, researchers at the University of Gothenburg examined how nicotine may affect mental health. Two of the studies concern Swedish adolescents. In onestudy, published in May 2026, 3 730 young people aged 17 to 19 took part in a web survey. The researchers examined associations between tobacco and nicotine use, including white snus and e-cigarettes, and symptoms of anxiety and depression. Among girls who used nicotine, 80 percent reported anxiety problems. Among boys, nicotine use was associated with depressive symptoms, while the use of both tobacco and tobacco-free nicotine products was associated with more mental health problems among boys. Girls identified as particularly vulnerableThe secondstudy, published in June this year, is based on the Swedish longitudinal study LoRDIA. It followed 1 592 young people from the age of 12–13 to 17. The researchers examined cigarette and snus use, as well as how tobacco initiation was associated with psychosomatic symptoms over time. By age 17, signs of depression and suicidal thoughts were more common among young people who smoked cigarettes. Girls who began using tobacco also more often developed increasing problems with sleep, anxiety, low mood, and concentration over time. —We see clear differences between girls and boys, with girls who smoke appearing to be particularly vulnerable. At the same time, we need to understand more about how snus affects mental health, not least among young girls, where the use of white snus has increased so rapidly,saysJohanna Andersson, a physician and doctoral student at the Sahlgrenska Academy. Biological changes in animal experimentsThe thirdstudyis based on experiments with rats. The researchers observed changes in the amygdala, a brain region involved in emotional regulation and stress. The effects were clearest in female rats, and nicotine altered communication between nerve cells even after the substance had left the body. According to the researchers, the result provides a possible biological explanation for increased vulnerability to anxiety- and stress-related symptoms, but cannot by itself be transferred to humans. Socioeconomic conditions, stress, alcohol, other substance use, and individual vulnerability factors may at the same time affect both nicotine use and mental health problems. —The important thing is that we see similar patterns in several different studies and with different types of data. But we still cannot say for certain what is cause and effect. The animal studies show biological changes in the brain that could contribute to increased vulnerability to anxiety- and stress-related symptoms, says Louise Adermark, a professor at the Sahlgrenska Academy. TNT is truly independent!We don’t have a billionaire owner, and our unique reader-funded model keeps us free from political or corporate influence. This means we can fearlessly report the facts and shine a light on the misdeeds of those in power. Consider a donation to keep our independent journalism running…