A new study suggests that fewer teenagers are smoking and vaping, but the number of hardcore users remain fixed. File Photo by haiberliu/Pixabay
While the use of e-cigarettes is on the decline, one in four teenagers who say they use them are vaping daily, according to a new study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration released Thursday.
Analyzing data from the 2023 National Youth Tobacco Survey, researchers found that e-cigarette use was down among respondents by more than 4% in 2023, tumbling to 10% from 14.1%. The percentage of youth using any tobacco product also fell from to 12.6% from 16.5%. Advertisement
The challenge is that the users appear to be forming lasting habits. The study found that not only are one-fourth of vaping students doing it every day, but also that 10% of all middle school and high school students, roughly 2.8 million, are actively using tobacco products.
“Youth use of tobacco products, in any form, is unsafe,” the researchers said. “Youth e-cigarette use remains a critical public health concern. Commercial tobacco use is a leading risk factor for disability and premature death and is harmful to the developing adolescent brain.”
The study said that tobacco use declined among high school students; however, sustained public health monitoring needs to be ongoing to continue the trend. Advertisement
Researchers said techniques that could help include the implementation of evidence-based tobacco control strategies, including effective youth interventions and media campaigns,
They noted that FDA regulations and other proven tobacco prevention policies might further reduce youth tobacco product use.
“Sustained efforts to prevent youth from starting to use tobacco, and strategies to help youth who use tobacco to quit, are critical to reducing tobacco product use among youth,” the study said.
