WASHINGTON —
In 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention conducted a National Youth Tobacco Survey among middle and high school students, finding youth tobacco use as a serious public health concern. Approximately 2.55 million students reported tobacco use in the past 30 days.
The CDC and FDA found about 1 in 3 students used at least one combustible tobacco product. About 3 in 10 students used two or more tobacco products.
E-cigarettes were used the most commonly among students, followed by cigarettes, cigars, smokeless tobacco, hookahs, nicotine pouches, heated tobacco products then pipe tobacco.
Previously, the survey was generally conducted on school campuses. The 2021 survey was entirely virtual, due to COVID-19. The CDC says not to compare this year’s results to previous results for this reason.
“Youth use of tobacco products is unsafe in any form – combustible, smokeless, or electronic,” said CDC director of the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion Karen Hacker. “This report provides critical insights needed to combat this serious public health concern and help protect our nation’s youth from the harmful effects of tobacco.”
Data showed that certain subgroups had reported higher tobacco use than their opposite. Heterosexual students were almost half as likely to use tobacco products as students who were lesbian, gay or bisexual. Transgender students were more than twice as likely as cisgender students.
Percentages of students reporting tobacco product use grew across the levels of psychological distress. The greater the apparent psychological distress, the more students reported tobacco use.
More than any other race and ethnicity group, non-Hispanic Black students reported use of combustible tobacco products and cigars.
The CDC outlines multiple factors found to influence the use of tobacco products among youth. About 8 in 10 students reported the use of flavored tobacco products in the past 30 days. Around 76% reported seeing marketing for tobacco products in traditional media, with 74% reported seeing e-cigarette content on social media. The most reported reason for trying the products the first time was out of curiosity, or to fit in. However, the most reported reason current users gave for continued use was the high/buzz and the alleviation of anxiety, stress and/or depression.
Over half of the reported current users said they were seriously considering quitting the products.
