Teen tobacco use has dropped to its lowest point in 25 years, a CDC survey published Thursday found, a milestone that follows a 20% decline since last year as the number of middle and high schoolers who use e-cigarettes falls sharply.
Get Forbes Breaking News Text Alerts: We're launching text message alerts so you'll always know the biggest stories shaping the day's headlines. Text "Alerts" to (201) 335-0739 or sign up here.
Though Kittner lauded the milestone, she said in her statement "with more than 2 million youth using tobacco products and certain groups not experiencing declines in use, our mission is far from complete." Kittner's comment likely refers to the lack of statistical changes among current use from middle school students and all racial and ethnic groups, which is mentioned in the survey's full report.
For the first time in the survey's history, nicotine pouches were the second most commonly used tobacco product, with 890,000 students reporting ever using pouches this year. Nicotine pouch sales substantially increased from 2016 to 2020 ($709,635 versus $216.8 million).
The CDC said e-cigarettes have been the most used tobacco product among youths in the U.S. The agency attributes tobacco product use among children to flavored products, tobacco marketing tactics, misperceptions about risks, new flavor types and product features. The CDC says usage can be cut through smoke-free policies, media campaigns on the negative effects of tobacco and price increases. Meanwhile, regulators have cracked down on certain types of flavored e-cigarettes, which appear to be more popular with underage users. The American Lung Association finds the majority of adult smokers began smoking before the age of 18 and that children first begin smoking due to factors such as peer pressure, social norms, affordable tobacco products and parents who also smoke. E-cigarettes, the most used tobacco product by youths, can cause lung damage, cancer and addiction, according to the American Lung Association, which notes the minimum age of sale for e-cigarettes is 18 years old in most states.