E-Cigarette Use Among US Youth Remains a Major Public Health Concern

Strategic Insights -

More than 2 million middle and high school students in the United States reported currently using e-cigarettes in 2021, with flavored e-cigarettes being the preferred option for over eight in 10 of these younger users. The data, released by the Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, highlights the persistence of e-cigarette use among youth despite efforts to regulate the industry. Despite a pandemic-induced decline in e-cigarette use, the number of high school students reporting current e-cigarette use remained stable, with 11% or 1.7 million students nationally reporting current e-cigarette use.

Key Takeaways:

  • Over 2 million middle and high school students in the US reported current e-cigarette use in 2021, with flavored e-cigarettes being the preferred option for 80% of users.
  • The most commonly used e-cigarette device type among teens was disposables, cited by 54% of respondents, followed by prefilled or refillable pods or cartridges, which were cited by 29% of respondents.
  • Nearly 85% of teen users preferred flavored e-cigarettes, with commonly used flavors including fruit, candy, desserts, and other sweets, mint, and menthol.
  • Among high school students who currently used e-cigarettes, 26% reported their usual brand was Puff Bar, followed by Vuse at 11% and SMOK at 10% of respondents.
  • Among middle school students who currently used e-cigarettes, 30% reported their usual brand was Puff Bar and 12.5% indicated JUUL.
  • The FDA has started banning e-liquids sold in bottles and warning companies that sell single-use devices, but has not outright banned disposable single-use devices that contain fruit and other sweet flavors.
  • Some companies have reportedly started using synthetic nicotine in their products to attempt to skirt FDA regulation, but it is unclear where non-natural nicotine falls under its regulatory power.
  • The data highlights the need for continued public health efforts to protect young people from the risks associated with tobacco product use, including e-cigarettes.

Statistics:

  • Over 2 million middle and high school students in the US reported current e-cigarette use in 2021 (FDA and CDC, 2021).
  • 80% of e-cigarette users among youth preferred flavored e-cigarettes (FDA and CDC, 2021).
  • 85% of teen users preferred flavored e-cigarettes (FDA and CDC, 2021).
  • 54% of respondents cited disposables as the most commonly used e-cigarette device type (FDA and CDC, 2021).
  • 29% of respondents cited prefilled or refillable pods or cartridges as the most commonly used e-cigarette device type (FDA and CDC, 2021).
  • 11% of high school students nationally reported current e-cigarette use (FDA and CDC, 2021).
  • 1.7 million high school students reported current e-cigarette use nationally (FDA and CDC, 2021).
  • 3% of middle school students nationally reported current e-cigarette use (FDA and CDC, 2021).
  • 320,000 middle school students reported current e-cigarette use nationally (FDA and CDC, 2021).

Sources:

  • Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021). Youth and Tobacco Use: National Youth Tobacco Survey, 2021.
  • Mitchell Zeller, Director, FDA's Center for Tobacco Products. (2021). Statement on E-Cigarette Use Among Youth in the US.