Biotech
Friday, November 3rd, 2023 2:20 pm EDT
Key Points
- E-cigarette usage among U.S. high school students has declined from 14.1% in 2022 to 10% in 2023, representing a drop of approximately 580,000 high school students using e-cigarettes. Overall tobacco smoking among high school students has reached an all-time low.
- The decline in e-cigarette use is seen as a positive development for public health, and it reflects the government’s aggressive actions against companies selling illegal vape products that appeal to young people.
- While progress has been made in reducing e-cigarette usage, challenges persist as newer vaping devices from overseas continue to flood the market, circumventing existing tobacco regulations. The FDA has identified Chinese brand Elf Bar as a significant culprit, and it remains available on store shelves despite being banned by the FDA. The agency has issued hundreds of warning letters to manufacturers, distributors, and retailers of unauthorized e-cigarettes in the past year and remains committed to addressing youth tobacco product use.
E-cigarette usage among high school students in the United States has decreased, according to the 2023 National Youth Tobacco Survey. The survey revealed that between 2022 and 2023, e-cigarette use among high school students dropped from 14.1% to 10%, which translates to approximately 580,000 fewer high schoolers using e-cigarettes. Overall tobacco smoking among this age group has also reached an all-time low, with a decline of approximately 540,000 high school students using any tobacco product in 2023, down to 1.97 million from 2.51 million in 2022.
U.S. health regulators have made curbing e-cigarette usage among young people a priority. The decline in e-cigarette use is seen as a positive development for public health. However, there were no significant changes in e-cigarette use among middle school students (grades 6 to 8) between 2022 and 2023. Still, there was an increase in current overall tobacco product use in this group, rising from 4.5% to 6.6%.
E-cigarettes have been the most commonly used tobacco product among both high school and middle school students for a decade. The report noted that despite the decline, youth use of tobacco products remains unsafe. The Chinese brand Elf Bar, which has been banned by the FDA, remains on shelves and is the most commonly reported brand among students currently using e-cigarettes, at 56.7%. The FDA has issued hundreds of warning letters to manufacturers, distributors, and retailers of unauthorized e-cigarettes over the past year in an effort to combat the issue.
For the full original article on CNBC, please click here: https://www.cnbc.com/2023/11/02/e-cigarette-use-declines-among-high-school-students.html
