WASHINGTON, D.C.—According to a study released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, more than two million middle and high school students report using e-cigarettes in 2021, 85% of whom say they use flavored e-cigarette products.
The study, based on data from the 2021 National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS), reported on current youth e-cigarette use in grades 6-12, including how often self-reported e-cigarette users used the products and which type, brand, and flavors they used. Among high school users, nearly 44% said they used e-cigarettes at least 20 of the last 30 days with 1 in 4 (27.6%) saying they used the devices daily. About 17% of middle school students said they used the products at least 20 of the last 30 days with 1 in 12 (8.3%) students saying they were daily e-cigarette users.
A statement from Lisa Lacasse, president of the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) follows:
“This study shows yet again the urgent need for federal action to address the nation’s youth e-cigarette epidemic. Flavored tobacco products of all kinds, including those flavored with menthol, enable the tobacco industry to entice and hook another generation of users on their deadly products – no less, a generation who was on track to be the first tobacco-free generation. We have known for years about this danger and still the FDA continues to delay taking definitive action—despite a court ordered deadline—on some of the biggest brands and manufacturers of these products.
“FDA’s ongoing delays and inadequate action to evaluate products with substantial market share and enforce marketing denial orders to date leave the door open for further addiction to products that contain nicotine, proven to harm brain development in children. Further, absent the FDA exerting its authority to regulate all products derived from tobacco or nicotine, whether natural or synthetical, the unscrupulous industry will continue to work to circumvent regulation and continue to target our nation’s youth with kid-friendly flavors in an effort to addict new customers.
“These data require a definitive call to action; therefore, we again call on the FDA to act immediately and regulate all tobacco products as required under court-order. And ask federal, state and local officials to continue their essential work regulating these highly addictive and harmful products “We again call on the FDA act now and regulate all tobacco products as required under court-order. And ask federal, state and local officials to continue their essential work regulating these highly addictive and harmful products.”