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Youth

Minnesota Youth Tobacco Survey Reveals Alarming Rates of Nicotine Dependence Among Young E-Cigarette Users

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

As the Minnesota Department of Health continues to monitor the commercial tobacco use of young people, a recent survey reveals startling rates of nicotine dependence among high school and middle school students who use e-cigarettes. The 2020 Minnesota Youth Tobacco Survey found that nearly 1 in 5 high school students (21.3%) use e-cigarettes, with 70.4% of those students showing signs of nicotine dependence. Furthermore, 70% of high school and middle school users reported signs of nicotine dependence, indicating a need for continued public health efforts to address the youth tobacco epidemic.

Key Takeaways:

  • 21.3% of high school students and 14.8% of middle school students use e-cigarettes, with 70.4% of high school users and 73.1% of middle school users showing signs of nicotine dependence.
  • 1 in 5 high school students (21.3%) and 1 in 7 middle school students (14.8%) reported using e-cigarettes in the past 30 days.
  • 78.4% of Minnesota students reported that the first tobacco product they ever tried was flavored.
  • E-cigarette use did not decrease between 2017 and 2020, but tobacco use as a whole declined from 26.4% (high school) and 5.2% (middle school) to 20.5% (high school) and 4.1% (middle school).
  • The Minnesota Youth Tobacco Survey suggests that public health efforts may be slowing the rapid growth of e-cigarette use, but more needs to be done to address the youth tobacco epidemic.

Statistics:

  • 70.4% of high school students and 73.1% of middle school students showed signs of nicotine dependence when using e-cigarettes.
  • 78% of Minnesota students reported trying flavored tobacco products first, which are known to appeal to youth.
  • Tobacco use declined from 26.4% (high school) and 5.2% (middle school) to 20.5% (high school) and 4.1% (middle school) between 2017 and 2020.
  • 3.6 million youth in the United States use e-cigarettes, according to a recent study published in the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR).

Sources:

  • Minnesota Department of Health (MDH)
  • 2020 Minnesota Youth Tobacco Survey
  • U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR)

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