CDC finds increase in middle schoolers using tobacco products, decrease in high schoolers
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced on Thursday that the use of e-cigarettes among high school students across the United States decreased 4.1% in 2023.
Even though Alabama and most other states restrict the sale of e-cigarettes to ages 21 and up, 10% of high school students say they vape, and 6.6% of middle school students say they use at least one tobacco product, according to according to the 2023 National Youth Tobacco Survey.
While the number of high school students using tobacco products went down this year, the number went up among middle school students. Overall, the study found that more than 2.8 million middle and high school students currently use tobacco products.
“The decline in e-cigarette use among high school students shows great progress, but our work is far from over,” said Dr. Deirdre Lawrence Kittner, the CDC Office on Smoking and Health director. “Findings from this report underscore the threat that commercial tobacco product use poses to the health of our nation’s youth. It is imperative that we prevent youth from starting to use tobacco and help those who use tobacco to quit.”
The CDC says youth e-cigarette use remains a critical public health concern, and the use of any tobacco products is markedly unsafe for youth. Commercial tobacco use is a leading risk factor for disability and premature death and is harmful to the developing adolescent brain, according to the report.
Officials from the CDC and FDA said that the factors influencing the prevalence of tobacco product use among youth include “flavors, marketing and misperceptions of harm.” Some of the prevention tactics they recommend include price increases, smoke-free policies in places like schools and businesses, counter-marketing campaigns and health care intervention.
Many of these tactics are already in use in Montgomery and throughout Alabama.
Montgomery Public Schools enforces a blanket ban on vaping for its students. The MPS Student Code of Behavior states that students found to be using, selling or possessing any vape device are at risk of out-of-school suspension, expulsion and law enforcement involvement.
Pike Road Schools and Autauga County Schools have similar bans in place.
Also, the Alabama Department of Public Health operates a coaching program for quitting tobacco products with funding and other support from the CDC. The program offers free access to trained coaches who help participants craft a plan to quit and stick to it. Anyone can get connected with the program online at quitnowalabama.com or by calling 1-800-Quit-Now, which is 1-800-784-8669.
Hadley Hitson covers children's health, education and welfare for the Montgomery Advertiser. She can be reached at hhitson@gannett.com. To support her work, subscribe to the Advertiser.
This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: CDC reports high school drop, middle school rise of tobacco product use
