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Behind the explanations.

Numbered references are consistent across the site. Read what each source measured and who took part. Open the full Sources page →

  1. The Teen Brain: 7 Things to Know

    National Institute of Mental Health · 2023

    Public-health guidance on adolescent brain development, the prefrontal cortex, learning, social context, sleep and resilience. It summarizes research rather than reporting one survey or an individual maturity deadline.

    Who / what: General guidance about adolescents; no single surveyed population.

  2. A canonical trajectory of executive function maturation from adolescence to adulthood

    Nature Communications · 2023

    Combined four datasets containing 10,766 participants aged 8–35 and 23 measures from 17 executive-function tasks. It studied average changes in measured skills, not a universal age at which every brain is mature.

    Who / what: 10,766 participants aged 8–35; two longitudinal and two cross-sectional datasets.

  3. The Promise of Adolescence: Realizing Opportunity for All Youth — Adolescent Development

    National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine · 2019

    Consensus report reviewing biological, brain and social development, including plasticity and changing connections. It synthesizes many studies rather than surveying one group.

    Who / what: Evidence synthesis about adolescence; no single surveyed population.

  4. Information about the Brain

    NIH Curriculum Supplement Series · 2007

    Educational background on neurons, synapses, plasticity and learning, including the formation and strengthening of connections. This is teaching material, not a new survey or a numerical model of learning speed.

    Who / what: Educational synthesis; no single surveyed population.

  5. Risks of vaping

    Health Canada · Public-health guidance

    Summarizes nicotine delivery, dependence, developmental concerns, aerosol chemicals and other vaping risks. It provides guidance for youth and adults rather than findings from a single survey.

    Who / what: General public, with a section on children and teens; no single surveyed population.

  6. Health Effects of Vaping

    CDC · 2025

    Public-health summary of vaping risks, nicotine dependence, withdrawal and effects on developing systems involved in attention, learning, mood and impulse control. It draws on multiple sources and does not calculate a teenager's individual damage percentage.

    Who / what: General guidance with a youth section; no single surveyed population.

  7. New Biological Insights into Smoking Cessation

    U.S. Surgeon General, Smoking Cessation report, chapter 3 · 2020

    Reviews human and animal research on nicotine receptors, dopamine, dependence, withdrawal and learned cues. It explains general nicotine mechanisms rather than reporting one teenage vaping survey.

    Who / what: Review of human and animal studies; no single sample.

  8. Nicotine Exposure during Adolescence Leads to Short- and Long-Term Changes in Spike Timing-Dependent Plasticity in Rat Prefrontal Cortex

    Journal of Neuroscience · 2012

    Experimental study measuring short- and long-term changes in prefrontal synaptic plasticity after adolescent nicotine exposure in rats. It used nicotine injections and brain recordings, not human vaping or a survey of teenagers.

    Who / what: Laboratory rats; no human participants.

  9. Association Between E-Cigarettes, Cognition and Mood in Adolescents

    Psychological Reports · 2024

    Online survey of 432 Australian adolescents aged 11–18, including 88 who had used e-cigarettes. It measured self-reported mind-wandering, confidence about schoolwork and mood symptoms; the cross-sectional associations do not establish causation.

    Who / what: 432 adolescents aged 11–18; 88 reported e-cigarette use.

  10. I quit for me

    Health Canada · 2026

    Practical youth guide for quitting tobacco use or vaping, including cravings, triggers, planning and support. It is a self-help resource, not a survey or a guarantee of a particular recovery timeline.

    Who / what: Written for young people who want to quit; no single surveyed population.

  11. Searching for Signatures of Brain Maturity: What Are We Searching For?

    Neuron · 2016

    Research perspective examining what brain maturity means and why different measures develop on different timelines. It is not a new survey and does not establish one birthday as a universal maturity cutoff.

    Who / what: Research perspective; no newly surveyed population.

  12. Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: What You Need to Know

    National Institute of Mental Health · Public-health guidance

    ADHD symptoms, individual differences, and established treatments (medication, psychotherapy, behavioural interventions); advises avoiding tobacco.

    Who / what: Clinical education about children and adults with ADHD; no single surveyed population.

  13. Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Symptoms and Later E-Cigarette and Tobacco Use in US Youths

    JAMA Network Open · 2025

    Longitudinal study of later vaping starts and four screened ADHD symptoms. Observational associations do not establish causation or extra brain injury.

    Who / what: 13,572 US participants, initially aged 12–17; 12,091 in the vaping-start analysis.

  14. 2025 National Youth Tobacco Survey results

    FDA · 2025 survey; results released 2026

    Measures recent vaping frequency. Among current vapers, 27.5% reported daily use and 41.2% use on at least 20 days; these groups overlap.

    Who / what: US middle and high school students; the displayed figures concern current vapers.

  15. Use of vapes among young people in Great Britain, 2025

    ASH / YouGov · 2025

    March–April survey with 2,746 respondents aged 11–17 in Great Britain. The current-vaper subgroup had 231 respondents; its weighted 47% figure measures strong, very strong or extremely strong urges, not a clinical diagnosis or brain injury.

    Who / what: Ages 11–17 in England, Scotland and Wales; current-vaper subgroup n=231.

  16. Alcohol and Drug Use among Students in Canada, 2023–24

    Health Canada, Canadian Student Alcohol and Drugs Survey · 2023–24 survey; published 2025

    Survey of 51,844 students in grades 7–12 across nine provinces; Quebec did not participate. Grade 12 past-month non-cannabis vaping was 27%, giving an approximately 73% complement; the measure includes nicotine, non-nicotine and unknown-content vapes.

    Who / what: Grades 7–12 in nine Canadian provinces; the displayed 27%/73% comparison concerns Grade 12.

  17. Protecting Youth From the Harms of Vaping

    CDC · 2024

    Guidance on helping young people avoid or stop vaping, including nicotine dependence, withdrawal and developing-brain concerns. It is public-health advice, not a single survey or a dose-finding study establishing a safe teen exposure.

    Who / what: Guidance for young people, caregivers and educators; no single surveyed population.

  18. Public Health Consequences of E-Cigarettes — Summary Annex: Report Conclusions by Level of Evidence

    National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine · 2018

    Consensus evidence review of e-cigarettes. Conclusion 4-1 finds nicotine exposure varies with the device, liquid and how the device is operated; this is a synthesis of studies, not one surveyed population.

    Who / what: Review of laboratory, clinical and population evidence; no single sample.

  19. Vaping and quitting smoking

    Health Canada · 2026

    Discusses complete switching from cigarettes, reduced exposure and risks, and why youth and people who do not smoke should not vape.

    Who / what: Guidance for adults who smoke; evidence synthesis, not a single survey.

  20. Using e-cigarettes to stop smoking

    NHS · Public-health guidance

    Explains quitting smoking, complete switching, relative harms and remaining uncertainty.

    Who / what: Guidance for adults who smoke; not one surveyed population.

  21. Advisory on E-cigarette Use Among Youth

    U.S. Surgeon General · 2018

    Describes youth e-cigarette use as an epidemic and reviews concerns about nicotine exposure.

    Who / what: Advisory drawing on national US youth tobacco surveys and health evidence.

  22. Quitting smoking: Provincial and territorial services

    Health Canada · Service information

    Official directory of free, confidential provincial and territorial quit support; lists the toll-free quit-coach number 1-866-366-3667.

    Who / what: Service information for people seeking quit support; not a research study.

  23. Smokers’ Helpline

    Canadian Cancer Society · Service information

    Free support for quitting smoking, vaping or both. The provider's service directory confirms iQuit to 123456 in Ontario, Manitoba and Saskatchewan, 1-877-513-5333, and the requested weekday phone hours.

    Who / what: Quit-support service information; not a research study.

  24. Support to quit smoking

    Government of Ontario · Service information

    Ontario guidance on quitting, including Health811 and Smokers’ Helpline support. It is service information, not a survey.

    Who / what: Ontario residents seeking health advice and quit support.

  25. Quash

    Lung Health Foundation · Service information

    App and program to help people quit smoking or vaping, developed with Health Canada funding. Health Canada's current youth guide links to Quash; this is a support resource, not a claim of guaranteed success.

    Who / what: Young people seeking support to stop smoking or vaping.

  26. Kids Help Phone

    Kids Help Phone · Service information

    Youth support service in Canada. Its website confirms calling 1-800-668-6868 around the clock or texting CONNECT to 686868 for support.

    Who / what: Young people in Canada; service information, not a research study.

  27. Single-use vapes ban: information for businesses

    UK Government · Regulatory guidance

    Confirms that the ban on sale and supply of single-use vapes took effect on 1 June 2025.

    Who / what: UK rules; not a research study or survey.

  28. Changes to the regulation of vapes

    Therapeutic Goods Administration, Australia · Regulatory guidance

    Explains reforms implemented during 2024–25, including pharmacy access rules.

    Who / what: Australian rules; not a research study or survey.

  29. Vaping products regulations

    Health Canada · Regulatory guidance

    Confirms a maximum nicotine concentration of 20 mg/mL for vaping products manufactured or imported for sale in Canada.

    Who / what: Canadian regulations; not a research study or survey.

About the models: The brain map is schematic. The age slider contains no biological scoring. The learning network does not model a measured growth rate. Nicotine steps explain a mechanism, not dose-response or irreversible damage. The interactive lessons don't request or store any personal information. The contact form sends your message by email only; see Privacy. Source links require an internet connection.