Teen Smoking Hits Record Low in the U.S.
Teen smoking in the U.S. has reached an all-time low, with overall youth tobacco use dropping significantly, according to a CDC report. The number of middle and high school students using at least one tobacco product—such as cigarettes, e-cigarettes, nicotine pouches, and hookahs—fell 20% from 2.8 million in 2023 to 2.25 million in 2024, the lowest since the survey began in 1999.
Vaping Decline Drives Drop in Tobacco Use
E-cigarettes, the most popular tobacco product among teens, saw usage decline from 7.7% in 2023 to under 6% this year. This drop largely explains the reduction in overall tobacco use from 10% to 8%. Other products, such as hookahs, also saw declines, with hookah use dropping from 1.1% to 0.7%.
Cigarette Use Falls to New Lows
Only 1.7% of high school students reported smoking cigarettes this year, down from 1.9%, a record low since the survey started 25 years ago. Middle school smoking rates also hit their lowest levels.
Public Health Efforts Drive Progress
The decline is credited to higher tobacco prices, education campaigns, stricter age restrictions, and better enforcement. Among high schoolers, use of any tobacco product dropped from 13% to 10%, but middle school rates remained steady.
Demographic Shifts
Tobacco use declined among girls and Hispanic students but rose among American Indian or Alaska Native students. Nicotine pouch use increased among white students, even as overall tobacco use dropped.
Public health officials celebrate the progress but stress that more work is needed to maintain and build on these gains.
