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Consumption of tobacco products — cigarettes, e-cigarettes, hookahs, etc. — reached a 25-year low in 2024 among young Americans, according to the country’s health authorities.
They attribute this success to the prevention strategies put in place, such as the increase in the prices of these products or the major information campaigns launched.
In 2024, some 2.25 million middle and high school students in the United States reported using a tobacco product within 30 days, compared to 2.80 million the previous year, according to an annual survey.
The fall is notably due to the drop in the number of students using electronic cigarettes.
This low represents “a tremendous step for public health”, commented Deirdre Lawrence Kittner, responsible at the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC), in a press release.
“However, with more than 2 million young people using tobacco products and some groups whose use has not decreased, our mission is far from complete.”she added.
Consumption of these products increased in particular among Native American students between 2023 and 2024.
An increase in the use of nicotine pouches has also been observed among white students.
These sachets placed between the lip and the gum, gradually releasing nicotine, have even become the second most used product in general.
These sachets can contain high doses of nicotine, which is highly addictive, according to the CDC.
The proportion of students smoking cigarettes has reached a low this year, at only 1.4%.
The product most consumed by young Americans remains the electronic cigarette, for the 11th year in a row.