Teen Vaping Rates Decline to Lowest Level in a Decade
In 2024, the teen vaping rate in the U.S. dropped to under 6%, marking a significant decline from previous years. This decrease is attributed to fewer high school students using e-cigarettes, although concerns remain about the rising use of nicotine pouches among youth.
| Score | Value |
|---|---|
Scale | 7 |
Novelty | 5 |
Positivity | 6 |
Reliability | 8 |
Actionability | 4 |
Society | 7 |
Journalism | 4 |
Highlights
- The teen vaping rate fell to under 6% in 2024, down from 7.7% in 2023.
- More than 1.6 million students reported vaping in the past month, about one-third of the peak level in 2019.
- The decline in vaping was primarily driven by a half-million fewer high school students using e-cigarettes.
- 1.8% of teens reported using nicotine pouches, which remained largely unchanged from the previous year.
- The survey involved over 29,000 students in grades 6 through 12.
Perspectives
- Public health officials view the drop in teen vaping as a monumental win, highlighting the effectiveness of recent regulations and enforcement efforts. They emphasize the need for continued vigilance to prevent youth from using nicotine products, including e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches. [19][22][24][25][27]
- Despite the decline in vaping, experts express concern over the rising popularity of nicotine pouches among youth, which are marketed with appealing flavors. They warn that these products could lead to new forms of nicotine addiction among adolescents. [19][23][24][27]