Teen smoking in the US has reached an all-time low this year. The government report yesterday stated that there is a significant drop in overall youth tobacco use. The data reveals a 20 per cent decline in the number of middle and high school students who have recently used at least one tobacco product, such as cigarettes, e-cigarettes, nicotine pouches, or hookahs. The figures went from 2.8 million last year to 2.25 million this year — the lowest since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's key survey began in 1999.

“Reaching a 25-year low for youth tobacco product use is an extraordinary milestone for public health,” said Deirdre Lawrence Kittner, director of CDC’s Office on Smoking and Health, in a statement. However, "our mission is far from complete.”

A major factor behind this decline is a decrease in vaping, which has contributed to an overall reduction in youth tobacco use, dropping from 10 per cent to 8 per cent. E-cigarette use among teenagers went down to less than 6 per cent this year, down from 7.7 per cent last year. This is the lowest rate seen in the last decade, as e-cigarettes have been the most commonly used tobacco products among teenagers, followed by nicotine pouches.

Apart from vaping, other products have been dropping, too. This year, that number has dropped to just 1.7 per cent, down from 1.9 per cent last year, marking the lowest percentage since the survey began 25 years ago. Although this one-year drop is not statistically significant, it shows a positive trend in reducing tobacco use among teens. Hookah use also declined, from 1.1 per cent to 0.7 per cent.

The survey was conducted with nearly 30,000 students from 283 middle and high schools, with a response rate of approximately 33 per cent. Officials attribute the decline in youth tobacco use to various factors, including increased prices, public health education campaigns, age restrictions, and stronger enforcement against retailers and manufacturers who sell tobacco products to minors.

Among high school students, the use of any tobacco product dropped to 10 per cent, from nearly 13 per cent and e-cigarette use dipped to under 8 per cent, from 10 per cent. But there was no change reported for middle school students, who less commonly vape or smoke or use other products,

The report noted variations in tobacco use among different demographics. While tobacco use decreased among girls and Hispanic students, it rose among American Indian or Alaska Native students, and nicotine pouch use increased among white students.

Get Latest News Live on Times Now along with Breaking News and Top Headlines from Health and around the world.