High School Smoking Hits Record Low as E-Cigarette Use Rises
- Middle and high school students has declined to the lowest recorded level in 25 years.
- This downward trend is part of a longer historical decline in traditional smoking.
- The 2024 data shows that cigarette smoking has reached the lowest level ever recorded by the survey, with only 1.4% of students reporting current use.
Current tobacco product use among U.S. Middle and high school students has declined to the lowest recorded level in 25 years. According to data from the 2024 National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS) released on October 17, 2024, 2.25 million students reported current use of any tobacco product, a decrease from 2.80 million students in 2023.
This downward trend is part of a longer historical decline in traditional smoking. Data from the 2015 National Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) previously indicated that cigarette smoking among high school students had dropped to the lowest levels since that survey began in 1991.
The 2024 data shows that cigarette smoking has reached the lowest level ever recorded by the survey, with only 1.4% of students reporting current use.
Drivers of the Decline in Youth Tobacco Use
The overall reduction in youth tobacco use is largely attributed to a significant drop in the use of e-cigarettes. The number of students reporting current e-cigarette use fell from 2.13 million, or 7.7%, in 2023 to 1.63 million, or 5.9%, in 2024.
Additional declines were observed in the use of hookah. Current hookah use dropped from 290,000 students in 2023 to 190,000 students in 2024.
While most products saw a decrease, youth nicotine pouch use did not show a statistically significant change, moving from 1.5% in 2023 to 1.8% in 2024.
Public Health Implications and Regional Data
Public health officials describe the 25-year low as a major milestone, though they note that the mission to eliminate youth tobacco use continues because more than 2 million youth still use these products.
Reaching a 25-year low for youth tobacco product use is an extraordinary milestone for public health. However, with more than 2 million youth using tobacco products and certain groups not experiencing declines in use, our mission is far from complete
Deirdre Lawrence Kittner, Ph.D., M.P.H., director of CDC’s Office on Smoking and Health
Regional data mirrors these national trends. On October 23, 2025, the New York State Department of Health announced that any tobacco use among high school students in the state had dropped to 17%, the lowest level since tracking began in 2000. This figure includes the use of cigarettes and e-cigarettes.
Evolution of Youth Tobacco Trends
The landscape of youth nicotine consumption has shifted over the last decade. While traditional cigarette use has consistently declined, electronic vapor products emerged as a primary concern in previous years.
By December 18, 2019, reports indicated that while teen smoking rates had hit a historic low, overall youth tobacco use had reached a record high, which was seen as a reversal of previous progress.
The current 2024 findings suggest a reversal of that trend, with the FDA and CDC noting that youth tobacco product use continues to decline as regulatory actions build momentum.
The 2024 NYTS data was analyzed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to assess the use of nine different tobacco products among students in grades 6 through 12.