Teen Vaping Persists Despite Government Efforts to Regulate

Strategic Insights -

A new government study on teen vaping reveals that while there has been little progress in keeping e-cigarettes out of the hands of kids, the prevalence of vaping may be decreasing. According to the survey results, 14% of high school students reported vaping in the previous 30 days, down from 11% last year. However, experts caution that the change in survey methodology makes it difficult to compare the two data points. Vaping remains a significant problem, with educators and health experts sounding the alarm.

Key Takeaways:

  • The latest government study on teen vaping suggests that 14% of high school students reported vaping in the previous 30 days, up from 11% last year.
  • The change in survey methodology this year makes it difficult to compare the two data points, as a higher percentage of participants took the survey in schools, where vaping is more likely to be reported.
  • Despite this, vaping appears to be less popular than it was in 2019, when 28% of high schoolers said they had vaped in the previous 30 days.
  • The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) study, which surveyed 28,000 U.S. middle and high school students from January to May, found that 28% of youth who vaped did so every day, and nearly 85% used flavored products.
  • The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has struggled to regulate the vaping industry, with only a handful of companies receiving FDA clearance for their products.
  • The FDA has taken action against several companies, including EVO Brands and Magellan Technology, for violating regulations and marketing products without FDA approval.
  • Parents Against Vaping E-Cigarettes, an advocacy group, worries that the battle to diminish youth vaping is not going well and that the numbers may not reflect the true extent of the problem.

Statistics:

  • 14% of high school students reported vaping in the previous 30 days, up from 11% last year.
  • 3% of middle schoolers said they had vaped in the previous 30 days.
  • 28% of youth who vaped said they did it every day.
  • Nearly 85% of youth who vaped used flavored products.
  • 28% of high school students said they had vaped in the previous 30 days in 2019.

Sources:

Associated Press: "New government study on teen vaping suggests little progress in keeping e-cigarettes out of kids' hands" (Exact source: Mike Stobbe and Matthew Perrone, Associated Press)

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): "2019-2020 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance—United States" (Source: CDC report, no date provided)

Food and Drug Administration (FDA): "FDA Takes Action Against E-Cigarette Companies for Violating Regulations" (Source: FDA press release, no date provided)

Parents Against Vaping E-Cigarettes: "Statement on the FDA's Actions Against E-Cigarette Companies" (Source: Parents Against Vaping E-Cigarettes, no date provided)