Youth smoking and vaping in the U.S. have fallen to their lowest levels in 25 years, new analysis shows.
Researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) analysed data from the 2024 National Youth Tobacco Survey to assess nicotine product use among middle school (ages 11 to 13) and high school students (ages 13 to 18).
They found that from 2023 to 2024, current use of any nicotine product among all students dropped from 12.6 per cent to 10.1 per cent (2.80 million students to 2.25 million). The drop is largely driven by a sharp decline in vape use - from 10 per cent to 7.8 per cent (2.13 million students to 1.63 million).
Vape usage among high school students in particular dropped to 1.56 million from 1.21 million over the same period.
This not only marks a 25-year low but also the lowest level ever measured by the National Youth Tobacco Survey, according to the report.
In 2024, vapes remained the most commonly used nicotine product among U.S. youths (with 5.9 percent of all students using them), while nicotine pouches were second (1.8 per cent).
Misleading label
The study encompasses both combustible cigarettes and much safer nicotine alternatives like vapes and nicotine pouches as “tobacco products” - which is common in the U.S. following a recommendation by the World Health Organisation to treat them in the same way.
However, it is important to note that vapes and other nicotine alternatives such as pouches do NOT in fact contain tobacco.
Research has also shown they are not associated with any tobacco-related illnesses. Therefore, in this article we have replaced the term “tobacco products” where it is used in the study with the more accurate “nicotine products”.
The misleading label used in the study has led to global media reporting a “decline in youth tobacco use” - when in fact the decline is in both smoking and vaping.
Dr. Deirdre Lawrence Kittner, director of the CDC's Office on Smoking and Health, said: "Reaching a 25-year low for youth tobacco product use is an extraordinary milestone for public health.
"However, with more than two million youth using tobacco products and certain groups not experiencing declines in use, our mission is far from complete. We must remain committed to public health efforts to ensure all youth can live healthy, tobacco-free lives."
Jeffrey A. Singer, senior fellow at public policy think tank the CATO Institute said: “..as I wrote in National Review earlier this year, nicotine is the addictive component of tobacco smoke, but the harmful substances are tar, carbon monoxide, and other toxic chemicals in the tobacco leaf. Nicotine by itself is relatively harmless, “no more harmful to health than caffeine.”
He adds: “With teen vaping and smoking both declining, policymakers no longer have an excuse to restrict adults from consuming flavoured e‑cigarettes and other nicotine delivery systems that make it easier for them to quit tobacco. They should end the war on tobacco harm reduction.”
