Teen smoking drops to lowest level in 25 years: CDC

[Lauren Taylor]

THE C-D-C IS OUT WITH SOME ENCOURAGING NUMBERS ON TEEN SMOKING. 

IT’S NOW AT THE LOWEST LEVEL IN 25 YEARS. 

RESEARCHERS LOOKED AT DATA BETWEEN 20-23 AND 20-24 AND FOUND THAT MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS USING ANY KIND OF TOBACCO PRODUCT DROPPED 20 PERCENT.

THE SIGNIFICANT DROP IS MOSTLY BECAUSE OF A DECLINE IN E-CIGARETTE – OR VAPE USE.

THIS YEAR, ONE-POINT-SIX-THREE MILLION STUDENTS SAID THEY USED E-CIGARETTES – DOWN FROM TWO-POINT-ONE-THREE MILLION LAST YEAR. 

CIGARETTE SMOKING RATES ALSO REACHED RECORD LOWS WITH ONLY 1-POINT-4 PERCENT OF STUDENTS SAYING THEY SMOKED TOBACCO.

C-D-C OFFICIALS BELIEVE THE OVERALL DECLINE IS BECAUSE OF PRICE INCREASES, SMOKE-FREE POLICIES AND SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGNS TARGETED AT STUDENTS. 

HEALTH OFFICIALS SAY REACHING A 25 YEAR LOW FOR YOUTH TOBACCO PRODUCT USE IS A HUGE MILESTONE, BUT EMPHASIZED THERE’S STILL WORK TO DO.

THE REPORT FOUND SOME DISPARITIES BY RACE AND ETHNICITY.

TOBACCO USE ROSE AMONG AMERICAN INDIAN AND ALASKA NATIVE STUDENTS WHILE CURRENT USE OF NICOTINE POUCHES INCREASED AMONG WHITE STUDENTS. 

THE STUDY INCLUDED NEARLY 30-THOUSAND STUDENTS AT MORE THAN 280 SCHOOLS.

THE RESPONSE RATE WAS ABOUT 33 PERCENT. 

FOR SAN – I’M LAUREN TAYLOR …

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