Consumption of tobacco products among middle and high school students reaches lowest level in 25 years: report

Tobacco product use among U.S. preteens and teens has fallen to the lowest levels seen in 25 years, according to new federal data released Thursday.

Researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration analyzed data from the 2024 National Youth Tobacco Survey to assess tobacco use among middle and high school students in the United States -United.

Between 2023 and 2024, current consumption of any tobacco product increased from 2.25 million to 2.80 million students.

MORE: E-cigarette use among teens rises 21% from previous year, study finds

This decline is largely due to the drop in the number of students who reported currently using electronic cigarettes: 2.13 million in 2023, compared to 1.63 million in 2024, according to the report. Consumption among high school students in particular fell to 1.56 million from 1.21 million over the same period.

This is not only the lowest level in 25 years, but also the lowest level ever measured by the National Youth Tobacco Survey, according to the report.

“Reaching a 25-year low for youth tobacco product use is an extraordinary milestone for public health,” said Dr. Deirdre Lawrence Kittner, director of the CDC’s Office on Tobacco and Health, in a press release. “However, with more than 2 million young people using tobacco products and some groups experiencing no decline in use, our mission is far from complete. We must remain engaged in public health efforts to ensure that all young people can live a healthy, tobacco-free life.”

Although e-cigarettes remained the most commonly used tobacco product among adolescents in 2024, their use among college students has declined to the lowest level seen in more than a decade.

Nicotine pouches were the second most commonly consumed tobacco product, followed by cigarettes, cigars and smokeless tobacco, respectively.

Despite these declines, the report found some disparities by race and ethnicity. Current use of any tobacco product increased among American Indian or Alaska Native (AI/AN) students, while current use of nicotine pouches increased among White students. This reflects national trends showing that AI/AN adults have the highest rate of commercial tobacco use in the United States compared to other racial and ethnic groups.

“We are moving in the right direction when it comes to reducing tobacco product use among our nation’s youth,” Dr. Brian King, director of the FDA’s Tobacco Products Center, said in a statement. . “But we cannot let up. Continued vigilance is necessary to continue to reduce all forms of tobacco product use among young people.

“Addressing disparities remains a critical part of these efforts to ensure we leave no one behind,” he added.

MORE: Tobacco consumption decreases among high school students, but increases among college students: study

The report finds that multiple factors influenced the initiation and continuation of tobacco product use among adolescents, including the availability of flavors appealing to preteens and teens, as well as misperceptions of harm, such as the belief that some tobacco products are not harmful.

Additionally, the report finds that the decline in tobacco product consumption is likely linked to several strategies implemented in the United States, including price increases, media campaigns to raise awareness of the harmful effects of tobacco products and smoke-free policies.

“Given the negative health consequences of smoking and the unique harms associated with adolescent nicotine exposure, preventing tobacco product use among youth is crucial,” the report authors write.

Tobacco product use among middle and high school students hits 25-year low: report originally published on abcnews.go.com