What Epidemic? Youth Vaping Dropped 23% in the Past Year

Teen vaping has declined again, crushing persistent claims by tobacco control groups and their political allies that we are still experiencing a “youth vaping epidemic.”  Adolescent use of nicotine pouches also remained low.

Data published today from the 2024 joint FDA-CDC (Centers for Disease Control) National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS) show that past-30 day use of vaping products by middle and high school students dropped from 7.7% in 2023 to 5.9% this year—a 23% decline.

Vaping by middle and high school students has now fallen 70.5% from its 2019 high water mark, when 20% of all students reported vaping in the past 30 days. Despite dire warnings that only draconian flavor bans and other harsh restrictions could stop the spread of youth vaping, it seems to have petered out on its own—as fads do—perhaps with some help from new age restrictions imposed in 2019.

It’s difficult to understand how anti-vaping activists will spin these youth vaping numbers to maintain the epidemic storyline, but they will try. They may focus strictly on the popularity of “flavored” vapes or disposable vapes among those who vape, and ignore how few kids are actually using them.

Just 1-in-65 students vapes daily

Past-30 day use was reported by 7.8% of high school students, and 3.5% of middle schoolers—down from 10% and 4.6%, respectively, in 2023. The middle school vaping rate had increased slightly from 2022 (3.6%) to 2023, but fell this year to below the 2022 number.

Among all students, just 1.55% vaped daily—about one of every 65—a far cry from the “new generation hooked on nicotine” described by anti-vaping zealots. As a percentage of those who vape, the daily-use number remained about the same: 26.3% in 2024 versus 25.2% last year.

Despite efforts by tobacco control activists to create a moral panic around youth use of nicotine pouches—and a surge in use—the NYTS results show that pouch consumption remained low: 1.8% in 2024 versus 1.5% last year. Daily use was reported by 0.40% of students, or about one of every 250.

The report, compiled by FDA and CDC scientists, does not include cigarette smoking prevalence, which last year had fallen to 1.6%—the third year in a row it was under 2.0%. 

#1 Brand is Elf Bar, even though it no longer exists

Easy-to-use disposable vapes were the most popular product choice among students who vape (55.6%), as they are among adult vapers. Second-place among device types went to “Don’t know the type” at 21.8%. Pods or cartridges were the choice of 15.6% of those who vape.

Among brands, Elf Bar was the most popular, chosen by 36.1% of students. Interestingly, Elf Bar-branded products haven’t been sold in the United States since a trademark dispute forced the manufacturer to change the Elf Bar name to EBDESIGN more than a year before the 2024 NYTS was given to students. Most likely, teenagers simply use the Elf Bar name as a generic for all disposables, like Kleenex is used by many people to describe all facial tissues.

“Not sure or don’t know the brand” finished second among brands at 31.1%, and “Some other brand not listed” was the third-most popular choice (20.6%). Breeze, Mr. Fog, Vuse, JUUL, and Esco Bar all received more than 10% of votes.

Fruit was the runaway favorite flavor profile (62.8%), as it is among adults. Candy and desserts finished at 33.3%%, mint at 25.1%, and menthol, “nonalcoholic drinks” and “unflavored” all received at least 10% of responses

Among nicotine pouches, ZYN was the top brand choice at 68.7%. On!, Rogue and Velo all received at least 10%.