Vaping among US teens hits lowest levels in a decade; why are e-cigarettes harmful?

The number of young people vaping has dropped to the lowest levels in a decade this year, according to a new report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention along with the Food and Drug Administration. E-cigarette use among middle and high school students dropped from 2.13 million students in 2023 to 1.63 this year, according to the National Youth Tobacco Survey.

Health officials said the total is now about a third of its 2019 peak, when numbers hit a whopping more than 5 million.

The latest survey was conducted from early 2022 through the summer of that year and included nearly 30,000 students. “These data are a good reminder that we are making progress in terms of continued declines in the major tobacco products used among children,” Brian King, director of the FDA’s Center for Tobacco Products, said on a call with reporters Wednesday afternoon. “But we have to keep our guard up,” he added.

What caused the significant drop in numbers?

According to experts, the drop in numbers was mainly due to a drop in e-cigarette use among high school students, from 1.56 million to 1.21 million. However, there was not much difference in use among high school students in the past year, according to the survey, even though use has been declining since 2019.

The FDA’s role in student vaping cessation

King said the decline was attributed to legal action the FDA took in partnership with the Department of Justice to curb use. He said that since last year, the FDA has been sending warning letters and civil penalties to retailers, along with those involved in the supply chain, who illegally sell Elf Bar products to teenagers, according to news reports. Elf Bar’s fruit- and candy-flavored disposable vapes are extremely popular among teens.

Aside from that, the agency has also issued import alerts for products under the Elf Bar brand, placing them on the “red list,” which allows the federal government to detain the products without a full inspection upon entering the U.S.

Experts believe these measures have had a positive impact, as there has been a notable decline in Elf Bar usage, with 36.1 percent of students saying they used it this year, down from 56.7 percent in 2023, according to the survey. “The FDA has been punishing the retail sector with inspections and enforcement actions against those who break the law,” King said.

Teenagers using nicotine pouches

According to the survey, students also use nicotine pouches, such as Zyn. These tobacco-free pouches, which users place between their lips and gums and then throw away, are often undetectable because they contain no smoke or saliva.

According to the survey, 1.8 percent of young people reported having used nicotine pouches in 2024, similar to the 1.5 percent of the previous year. This equates to around half a million people, of whom almost 23 percent reported using them daily.

Side effects of vaping

According to experts, vaping has many health side effects, including: