Cigarette smoking hit a record low among students in 2024, according to data released earlier this year by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This week, an expert joined Audacy to discuss why young people aren’t lighting up.
“I want to attribute it to more health awareness and younger generation,” said Detroit Medical Center Clinical Psychologist Dr. L.A. Barlow. “They’re just a little bit more in tune with their health. And back years ago, it was kind of cool to smoke. Nowadays that’s not considered cool anymore.”
According to the recent data, 2.25 million middle and high school students reported current use of any tobacco product last year, compared to 2.80 million in 2023. The FDA said the decline was “largely attributable to the significant drop in the number of students who reported current e-cigarette use.”
While 2.13 million youth reported e-cigarette use in 2023, just 1.63 million youth in 2024. Cigarette smoking also reached the lowest level ever recorded by the survey – just 1.4% of students reported current use.
“The young people I talk to, they’re like, ‘No, that’s a bad thing. They don’t consider it a cool or the in thing to do,” Barlow. “They see the health impact and they’re concerned about that.”
As for e-cigarette use, Barlow told WWJ Newsradio that there are still concerns about youth vaping, since it can be done “more inconspicuously,” and parents or guardians might not realize that young people are using e-cigarette products. Still, she said that younger people seem more in tune with their health than older generations.
Last month, a report released by the American Cancer Society (ACS) also found that smoking rates continued a long-term decline. However, it found that 27 million adults still smoked in 2023 and that flavored tobacco products in particular appealed to young people.
“Cigarette smoking declined to 11% in 2023,” said a press release from the ACS. “High smoking prevalence remains in American Indian/Alaska Native individuals, Black males, individuals with lower education, and bisexual females.”
Last month, a released by the American Cancer Society (ACS) also found that smoking rates continued a long-term decline. However, it found that 27 million adults still smoked in 2023 and that flavored tobacco products in particular appealed to young people.
“Cigarette smoking declined to 11% in 2023,” said a press release from the ACS. “High smoking prevalence remains in American Indian/Alaska Native individuals, Black males, individuals with lower education, and bisexual females.”
Barlow said that word of mouth and changes in social norms can help bring smoking prevalence down.
“I do understand that they've increased the price of a lot of tobacco products too, so that could be a contributing factor,” she said. “But mostly social norms where it’s not considered the in thing or the normal thing for young people to smoke. Word of mouth is usually... more impactful than other methods.”