Tobacco Use by Youth is Rising: E-cigarettes are the Main Reason

 

 

- There were 1.5 million more current youth e-cigarette users in 2018 than 2017.
- 4.9 million youth were current tobacco product users in 2018.
- Use of any tobacco product grew by 38.3% among high school students (2017-2018).

 

Overview:

 

Tobacco product use among US youth is increasing. More than 1 in 4 high school students and about 1 in 14 middle school students in 2018 had used a tobacco product in the past 30 days. This was a considerable increase from 2017, which was driven by an increase in e-cigarette use. E-cigarette use increased from 11.7% to 20.8% among high school students and from 3.3% to 4.9% among middle school students from 2017 to 2018. No change was found in the use of other tobacco products, including cigarettes, during this time.

 

Among youth:

 

  • E-cigarettes are still the most commonly used tobacco product, ahead of cigarettes, cigars, smokeless tobacco, hookah, and pipes.
  • E-cigarettes are the most commonly used product in combination with other tobacco products.
  • E-cigarette use is highest for boys, whites, and high school students.

 

Tobacco product use among high school students—2018

 

Source: Tobacco Product Use Among Middle and High School Students — United States, 2011-2018.
Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), February 2019.

 

Problem:

 

Nearly all tobacco product use begins in adolescence.

 

Any tobacco product use among youth is unsafe, including e-cigarettes.

 

  • Cigarette smoke contains over 7,000 chemicals, including about 70 that cause cancer.
  • Nearly all tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, contain nicotine.
  • Youth nicotine use can lead to addiction and can harm the developing brain, impacting learning, memory, and attention.

 

The Way Forward:

 

Parents and Educators Can:

  • Set a positive example by not using tobacco products themselves.
  • Learn about different types and risks of tobacco products, including e-cigarettes. 

Healthcare Providers Can:

  • Ask specifically about e-cigarettes when screening for tobacco product use.
  • Warn youth about the risks of all tobacco product use, including e-cigarettes.

Schools Can:

  • Adopt and enforce tobacco-free campus policies that include e-cigarettes.
  • Reject tobacco industry-sponsored prevention programs, which are proven not to work. 

States and Communities Can:

  • Prohibit smoking and e-cigarette use inside workplaces and public places.
  • Increase the minimum age of sale of tobacco products to 21 years.
  • Prohibit the sale of flavored tobacco products.

 

Sources:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - https://www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/youth-tobacco-use/index.html

Office of the Associate Director for Communication

Tobacco Product Use Among Middle and High School Students — United States, 2011-2018.
Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), February 2019.

Filed Under: Health