One in Four High School Students Uses Tobacco

By Cara Adler

Edited by André Sofair, MD, MPH, and William E. Chavey, MD, MS

Nearly half of high school students had ever tried tobacco in 2013, and nearly a quarter were current users, according to an analysis of the 2013 National Youth Tobacco Survey in MMWR. Among middle school students, nearly one in five had ever tried and one in 15 were current users.

Other findings include:

• About half of current users used more than one tobacco product.

• Cigarettes, cigars, and smokeless tobacco were the most common products used among high schoolers.

• Electronic cigarettes were used at least once by 12% of high school students and 3% of middle school students.

• Current use was more common among boys than girls in high school but was similar between boys and girls in middle school.

The authors note: "Rigorous surveillance of all available forms of tobacco use by youths, particularly emerging products such as e-cigarettes, is essential."