The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported a decline in vaping among high school students in the United States, offering a glimmer of hope in the battle against youth nicotine consumption.
According to a recent survey, the percentage of high school students who used electronic cigarettes in the previous month dropped from 14% last year to 10% this year (Source: NBC News).
This promising trend was part of a larger positive shift, as the use of any tobacco product, which includes cigarettes and cigars, also decreased among high school students.
Kenneth Michael Cummings, a researcher from the University of South Carolina, described the report as “a lot of good news.” The CDC considers this annual survey to be the most reliable measure of youth smoking trends.
Brian King, the director of the FDA’s tobacco center, expressed encouragement over the significant decrease in e-cigarette use among high school students in the past year, emphasizing the positive impact on public health. The FDA has authorized specific tobacco-flavored e-cigarettes with the intention of assisting adult smokers in reducing their tobacco consumption.
The report also contained several other key findings:
– Approximately 1 in 10 middle and high school students reported using a tobacco product, amounting to 2.8 million youth in the United States.
– E-cigarettes were the most commonly used form of tobacco product among students, with disposable e-cigarettes being the most popular.
– Nearly 90% of students who vape preferred flavored products, with fruit and candy flavors ranking highest.
The latest survey indicated that approximately 56% of teen vapers used Elf Bar, followed by Esco Bar and Vuse, a reusable e-cigarette produced by R.J. Reynolds. Juul, previously associated with a surge in teen vaping, was the fourth most popular brand, used by 16% of teens.
In response to the availability of these products, the FDA has taken action to prevent their importation and announced fines against 20 stores selling Elf Bar products. Despite these efforts, unauthorized e-cigarettes continue to be widely available.
The report also noted an intriguing but puzzling finding: while the rate of using tobacco products in the past month fell among high school students, there was a slight increase among middle school students.
Researchers caution against drawing significant conclusions from this one-year blip, as such trends usually move in tandem between the two groups.
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