Introduction:
This text provides an analysis of tobacco product use among middle and high school students in the United States, as reported in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The report highlights the prevalence of tobacco product use, changes in use over time, and the impact of these trends on public health.
Key Points:
* The study uses data from the National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS) from 2011 to 2018.
* The analysis includes seven tobacco products: cigarettes, cigars, smokeless tobacco, e-cigarettes, hookahs, pipe tobacco, and bidis.
* Current use of any tobacco product was reported by 27.1% of high school students and 7.2% of middle school students in 2018.
* E-cigarettes were the most commonly used product among high school (20.8%) and middle school (4.9%) students.
* Use of any tobacco product overall did not change significantly during 2011-2018 among either school level.
* During 2017-2018, current use of any tobacco product increased 38.3% (from 19.6% to 27.1%) among high school students and 28.6% (from 5.6% to 7.2%) among middle school students.
* The sustained implementation of comprehensive tobacco control strategies, in coordination with Food and Drug Administration regulation of tobacco products, can prevent and reduce the use of all forms of tobacco products among U.S. youths.
Main Message:
The study highlights the significant increase in e-cigarette use among U.S. youths, which has erased recent progress in reducing overall tobacco product use among youths. The study emphasizes the importance of implementing comprehensive tobacco control strategies and coordinating with the Food and Drug Administration to regulate tobacco products to prevent and reduce tobacco product use among U.S. youths.
Citation
Gentzke, Andrea S., MeLisa Creamer, Karen A. Cullen, Bridget K. Ambrose, Gordon Willis, Ahmed Jamal, and Brian A. King. “Vital Signs: Tobacco Product Use Among Middle and High School Students — United States, 2011–2018.” MMWR. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 68, no. 6 (February 15, 2019): 157–64. https://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6806e1.
Gentzke, Andrea S., MeLisa Creamer, Karen A. Cullen, Bridget K. Ambrose, Gordon Willis, Ahmed Jamal, and Brian A. King. “Vital Signs: Tobacco Product Use Among Middle and High School Students — United States, 2011–2018.” MMWR. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report 68, no. 6 (February 15, 2019): 157–64. https://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6806e1.
