SAFE GC Coalition: National Youth Tobacco and E-Cig Use Survey

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently released 2020 survey data on youth tobacco and vaping use. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the United States; nearly all tobacco use begins during youth and young adulthood. The use of any tobacco product by youths is unsafe, including electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes). Most e-cigarettes contain nicotine, which is highly addictive, can harm the developing adolescent brain, and can increase risk for future addiction to other drug. E-cigarette use has increased considerably among U.S. youths since 2011.

Multiple factors have contributed to this increase, including youth-appealing flavors and product innovations, amid the widespread use of e-cigarettes and popularity of certain products among youths, on February 6, 2020, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) implemented a policy prioritizing enforcement against the manufacture, distribution, and sale of certain unauthorized flavored prefilled pod or cartridge-based e-cigarettes (excluding tobacco or menthol).

In 2020, 23.6% (3.65 million) of high school and 6.7% (800,000) of middle school students reported current (past 30-day) use of any tobacco product. From 2019 to 2020, decreases among high school and middle school students occurred in current use of any tobacco product, combustible tobacco products, multiple tobacco products, e-cigarettes, cigars, and smokeless tobacco. The results showed 23.6% of high school and 6.7% of middle school students reported currently using any tobacco product in 2020. In addition, current use of any combustible tobacco products, multiple tobacco products, e-cigarettes, cigars, and smokeless tobacco decreased among both high and middle school students between 2019 and 2020. Despite these encouraging declines, the survey did not show significant decreases in the use of cigarettes, hookah, pipe tobacco, or heated tobacco products.

In fall 2020, FDA and CDC released findings from the 2020 National Youth Tobacco Survey showing that 1.8 million fewer U.S. youth are currently using e-cigarettes compared to last year. However, youth e-cigarette use has increased dramatically since 2011, and 3.6 million youth still currently use e-cigarettes. Moreover, the data shows an alarming increase in the number of youth who use disposable e-cigarettes and more than 8 out of 10 youth e-cigarette users report use of flavored products. In addition, almost 40 percent of high school users are using an e-cigarette on 20 or more days out of the month and almost a quarter of them use e-cigarettes every day, indicating a strong dependence on nicotine among youth.

The study has many implications for public health. Comprehensive and sustained implementation of evidence-based tobacco control strategies, combined with tobacco product regulation by the FDA is warranted to help sustain this progress and prevent and reduce all forms of tobacco product use among U.S. youths. FDA's Youth Tobacco Prevention Plan—a key component of the agency's Comprehensive Plan for Tobacco and Nicotine Regulation—is a series of actions to stop youth use of tobacco products, especially e-cigarettes, with special focus on three key areas:

• Preventing youth access to tobacco products
• Curbing marketing of tobacco products aimed at youth; and
• Educating teens about the dangers of using any tobacco product, including e-cigarettes, as well as educating retailers about their key role in protecting youth

FDA is committed to a science-based approach that addresses public health issues associated with tobacco use. The FDA collaborated with the CDC on this nationally representative survey of middle and high school students that was designed to provide national data on long-term, intermediate, and short-term indicators key to the design, implementation, and evaluation of comprehensive tobacco prevention and control programs. For more information please visit www.fda.gov.

SAFE, Inc. is the only alcohol and substance abuse prevention, intervention and education agency in the City of Glen Cove. Its Coalition is concerned about tobacco use and vaping seeking to educate and update the community regarding its negative consequences in collaboration with Carol Meschkow, Program Manager of the Tobacco Action Coalition of Long Island. To learn more about the SAFE Glen Cove Coalition please follow us on www.facebook.com/safeglencovec... or visit the Vaping Facts and Myths Page of SAFE’s website to learn more about how vaping is detrimental to your health www.safeglencove.org.