Teen use of electronic cigarettes fell sharply in 2021, the second consecutive year of big declines, according to the government’s annual National Youth Tobacco Survey.

In 2021, among high school students, about 11 percent reported that they currently vaped, which is down from almost 20 percent in 2020 and strikingly lower than the over 27 percent reported in 2019, according to a report of the survey issued by the CDC.

But there’s still work to do, because “even with the drop, the survey found that more than 2 million high school and middle school students were currently using e-cigarettes” with about 85 percent using flavored e-cigarettes.

Of some concern is the fact that “because the declines came during the pandemic, some public health experts questioned whether the data really signaled a change in youth vaping trends over the long term.”

Yet, even before the pandemic, several new restrictions were curtailing underage use of e-cigarettes.

• In late 2019, a new federal law raised the purchase age for all tobacco and vaping products from 18 to 21.
• Shortly afterward, the FDA banned nearly all flavors from small, cartridge-based e-cigarettes, which first sparked the teen vaping craze.
• Also, some kids may have been scared off by an outbreak of vaping-related illnesses and deaths.

The report comes as the FDA is poised to potentially place even bigger limits on the vaping industry.

The agency is in the midst of a sweeping federal review to decide which e-cigarette brands and products can stay on the market, after years of regulatory delays.

More details are available at DrWalt.com.

© Copyright WLL, INC. 2021. This blog provides a wide variety of general health information only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment from your regular physician. If you are concerned about your health, take what you learn from this blog and meet with your personal doctor to discuss your concerns.