The number of teenagers who use electronic cigarettes in 2024 dropped significantly from its peak in 2019, according to new federal data, which officials touted as a major public health victory against vaping products.
Half a million fewer U.S. youth reported current use of e-cigarettes in 2024 compared to 2023. In 2024, an estimated 6 percent of all middle and high school students said they currently used e-cigarettes, a drop from last year’s 7.7 percent, according to the survey.
The number of youths who used e-cigarettes in 2024 is about one-third of what it was at its peak in 2019, when more than 5 million youths reported current e-cigarette use. That year, more than 27 percent of high school students and more than 10 percent of middle schoolers said they used an e-cigarette.
The annual National Youth Tobacco Survey from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was conducted from January through May in schools across the nation.
It found the decline among vaping was driven largely by high schoolers. According to the survey, about 1.21 million high school students this year said they had used an e-cigarette in the past 30 days, compared with 1.56 million in 2023.
There wasn’t a significant difference in use among middle school students in the past year, according to the survey, but use among middle school students has been falling since 2019.
Among students who currently use e-cigarettes, almost 63 percent said they use a fruit flavor. Candy and mint were the other flavor types most frequently reported.
“The continued decline in e-cigarette use among our nation’s youth is a monumental public health win,” said Brian King, director of the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products. “But we can’t rest on our laurels, as there’s still more work to do to further reduce youth e-cigarette use.”
Disposable e-cigarette products were the most common product type used; however, the most popular brands included both disposable and cartridge-based products.
A large percentage of youth e-cigarette users, including 42 percent of high school users and 27 percent of middle school users, reported frequent or daily use, which experts said is a strong sign of addiction.
“It is encouraging news that youth e-cigarette use has fallen sharply, sparing many young people from the severe nicotine addiction and other health consequences that can result from e-cigarette use. These declines show that public health measures implemented to reduce youth use are working,” said Yolanda Richardson, president and CEO of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.
Federal officials have been ramping up efforts to crack down on the sale and distribution of illicit electronic cigarettes, intent on stemming the flood of products on the market that continuously skirt government regulation.
Richardson and other anti-tobacco advocates called on regulators to do more to clear the market of all illegal cigarettes, and to closely monitor youth use of new products like nicotine pouches — small, dissolvable, flavored pouches containing nicotine derived from tobacco that users place in the mouth between the lip and gum.
“Like e-cigarettes, these products have appealing flavors and are heavily marketed to youth, especially on popular social media platforms. Unless the FDA takes action, we are concerned that youth use of nicotine pouches and other newer products will only increase in future years,” the American Heart Association said in a statement.
Sales of nicotine pouches have continued to rise nationally since 2016. According to the survey, youth nicotine pouch use remained under 2 percent and did not show a statistically significant change from 2023, suggesting youth are not driving the sales.
Still, nearly half a million middle and high school students reported current nicotine pouch use, and 22 percent in that group reported daily use. Nearly 70 percent said they used Zyn brand.
“Our guard is up,” King said. “We are aware of the reported growing sales trends for nicotine pouches and are closely monitoring the evolving tobacco product landscape for threats to public health, particularly when it comes to kids.”
