Tobacco Product Use Among Middle and High School Students - National Youth Tobacco Survey, United States, 2024

Abstract

Use of tobacco products in any form is unsafe, and nearly all tobacco product use begins during adolescence. CDC and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) analyzed data from the 2024 National Youth Tobacco Survey to determine tobacco product use among U.S. middle school (grades 6-8) and high school (grades 9-12) students. In 2024, current (previous 30-day) use of any tobacco product was reported by 10.1% of high school students (representing 1.58 million students) and 5.4% of middle school students (representing 640,000 students). Among all students, e-cigarettes were the most commonly reported tobacco product currently used (5.9%), followed by nicotine pouches (1.8%), cigarettes (1.4%), cigars (1.2%), smokeless tobacco (1.2%), other oral nicotine products (1.2%), heated tobacco products (0.8%), hookahs (0.7%), and pipe tobacco (0.5%). During 2023-2024, among all students, the estimated number who reported current use of any tobacco product decreased from 2.80 to 2.25 million students; e-cigarette use decreased (from 2.13 to 1.63 million students); and hookah use decreased (from 290,000 to 190,000 students). Among high school students, current use of any tobacco product decreased from 12.6% to 10.1% of students, and e-cigarette use decreased from 10.0% to 7.8%. Among middle school students, no statistically significant changes occurred. Evidence-based strategies can help prevent initiation and promote cessation of tobacco product use among U.S. youths.

FIGURE

Current use of selected tobacco products, any tobacco product, any combustible tobacco product, and multiple tobacco products by middle and high school students — National Youth Tobacco Survey, United States, 2023 and 2024 * Current use is defined as use on ≥1 day during the past 30 days for each product. ^† Any tobacco product use is defined as current use of one or more of the following tobacco products on ≥1 day during the past 30 days: e-cigarettes, nicotine pouches, cigarettes, cigars (cigars, cigarillos, or little cigars), smokeless tobacco (composite [chewing tobacco, snuff, dip, or snus]), other oral nicotine products, heated tobacco products, hookahs, pipe tobacco, or bidis (small, brown cigarettes wrapped in a leaf). ^§ Any combustible tobacco product use was defined as current use of one or more of the following tobacco products: cigarettes, cigars, hookah, pipe tobacco, or bidis. ^¶ Multiple tobacco product use was defined as current use of two or more of the following tobacco products: e-cigarettes, nicotine pouches, cigarettes, cigars, smokeless tobacco (composite [chewing tobacco, snuff, dip, or snus]), other oral nicotine products, heated tobacco products, hookahs, pipe tobacco, or bidis. ** During 2023–2024, statistically significant declines in the use of any tobacco product, e-cigarettes, and hookahs were observed. No statistically significant change in use of nicotine pouches, cigarettes, cigars, smokeless tobacco, other oral nicotine products, heated tobacco products, pipe tobacco, any combustible tobacco, or multiple tobacco products occurred.