When asked whether they had vaped in the last month, high school seniors reported about doubling their rates in the span of a year, going from 11 percent in 2017 to 20.9 percent in 2018. Moreover, 27.8 percent of teens reported “any vaping” in 2017, rising to 37.3 percent in 2018. Perhaps most disturbing, one in 10 eighth-graders reported having vaped within the last year.
NIDA Director Nora Volkow looks to past successes with anti-tobacco campaigns as a model for how to tackle the challenge of runaway vaping rates among U.S. adolescents. She also offers a surprising but speculative explanation for the bright spot in the survey results: These same children are reporting record-low alcohol use, the lowest opioid use of any age group and low use of marijuana, tobacco and other drugs.
Expect some more anti-tobacco campaigns targeted towards teens and young adults in the near future. Hopefully we can reduce usage by underage individuals and encourage responsible use!