E-cigarette products sit on a store shelf on Oct. 12, 2021. Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images
More than 2.5 million middle and high school students in the U.S. currently use e-cigarettes, according to a new study published Thursday by the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Why it matters: "Adolescent e-cigarette use in the United States remains at concerning levels, and poses a serious public health risk to our nation's youth," Brian King, director of the FDA's Center for Tobacco Products, said in the press release.
State of play: The 2.5 million figure includes 14.1% of high schoolers and 3.3% of middle schoolers in the U.S.
- About 85% of those who reported e-cigarette usage said they used flavored products, with fruit flavors being the most popular variety, followed by preferences for candy or dessert flavors or mint.
- A majority used disposable e-cigarettes, and a quarter preferred refillable or prefilled cartridges or pods, the survey found.
- Among the youth surveyed, 27.6% said they used e-cigarette devices daily while 42.3% said they used them on more than 20 of the last 30 days.
What they're saying: "This study shows that our nation’s youth continue to be enticed and hooked by an expanding variety of e-cigarette brands delivering flavored nicotine," said Deirdre Lawrence Kittner, director of CDC’s Office on Smoking and Health, in the press release.
- "Our work is far from over. It's critical that we work together to prevent youth from starting to use any tobacco product — including e-cigarettes — and help all youth who do use them, to quit."
The big picture: A study released this summer showed surging popularity of vaping among youth had reversed decades of declining tobacco use.
- The FDA warned in 2018 that the use of e-cigarettes among teens had reached "an epidemic proportion."