Government officials announced a significant decrease in adolescent vaping rates this year, marking the lowest point in the past decade. The latest survey revealed that the teenage vaping rate dropped to under 6%, down from 7.7% in 2023. The number of high school students engaging in vaping, particularly with unauthorized e-cigarettes like Elf Bar, has reduced, with more than 1.6 million students reporting vaping in the past month, a third of the number in 2019 when underage vaping peaked.
The decline in vaping this year was primarily driven by half a million fewer high school students reporting e-cigarette use in the last month, although vaping rates among middle schoolers remained unchanged. Officials hailed this development as a significant public health success, emphasizing the need for continued efforts to further decrease youth vaping.
While the decrease in vaping rates was a positive outcome, officials noted that there has not been a corresponding increase in the use of other tobacco products, like nicotine pouches. Sales of flavored pouches for adults, such as Zyn, have been on the rise. These pouches release nicotine slowly when placed along the gumline and come in flavors like mint and cinnamon. The survey this year indicated that 1.8% of teens are using nicotine pouches, a figure similar to last year.
The federal survey encompassed over 29,000 students in grades 6 through 12, aiming to gauge youth tobacco and nicotine trends. The drop in vaping rates was attributed to recent age restrictions and stricter enforcement against retailers and manufacturers, particularly Chinese vaping companies that have been illegally selling e-cigarettes in the U.S. for years.
Despite the decrease in vaping, the use of popular e-cigarette brands such as Elf Bar, Vuse, and Juul among teens remains significant. FDA regulators had banned fruit and candy flavors from reusable e-cigarettes like Juul in 2020, leading to disposable products filling the void left by the restriction.
Key findings from the report included data showing that around 26% of current e-cigarette users vape daily, nearly 90% of whom prefer flavored products, with fruit flavors being the most popular. Zyn emerged as the most common nicotine pouch among teens using such products. This update primarily focused on vaping products and nicotine pouches, with future publications including rates of cigarette and cigar smoking, which have also shown historic lows in recent years.
