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.* The term "tobacco" as used in this report refers to commercial tobacco products and not to the sacred and traditional use of tobacco by some American Indian communities; however, NYTS does not distinguish between use of ceremonial and commercial use. Methods Data Source and CollectionNYTS is a cross-sectional, voluntary, school-based, selfadministered, Internet survey of U.S. middle school (grades 6-8) and high school (grades 9-12) students.A stratified, three-stage cluster sampling procedure was used to generate a nationally representative sample of U.S. students attending private or public middle and high schools.Data were collected during January 22-May 22, 2024; 29,861 students from 283 schools participated, with an overall response rate of 33.4%. Data AnalysisNational weighted prevalence estimates, 95% CIs, and population totals were calculated for ever use (i.e., ever having used, even once or twice) and current use (i.e., use on 1 day during the previous 30 days) of nine tobacco products (e-cigarettes, nicotine pouches, cigarettes, cigars, smokeless tobacco, other oral nicotine products, heated tobacco products,** hookahs, and pipe tobacco) by student characteristics.Three composite use measures were also reported: 1) any tobacco product use, 2) any combustible tobacco product use, and 3) multiple tobacco product