Good news on teen vaping? Rates have dropped, but another product worries tobacco watchdogs

A half million fewer school-age kids vaped this year than last – a win for public health officials who have warned for years of the health risks posed by these nicotine-delivering devices.

The 2024 National Youth Tobacco Survey reported that 1.63 million school-age children had used e-cigarettes at least once in the past 30 days, down from 2.13 million a year ago. Teen use has plummeted since reports reached an all-time high in 2019 when more than 5 million school-age kids reported they vaped, prompting the Food and Drug Administration to crack down on the devices.

According to this year's school-based survey conducted between Jan. 22 and May 22, 7.8% of high school students and 3.5% of middle school students said they had used e-cigarettes at least once over the past 30 days.

The survey showed that more teens have turned to nicotine pouches in recent years, which are sold under brands such as Zyn and Rogue. The survey found that 1.8% of school-age kids used nicotine pouches in the past 30 days, slightly more than 1.5% who reported using them last year. Nearly a half million school-age kids used nicotine pouches in the past 30 days, more than double the 200,000 youth pouch users in 2021. Among nicotine pouch users, Zyn was the most popular brand followed by on!, Rogue, Velo and Juice Head ZTN. More than 85% of pouch users said they used flavored products.

The big takeaway for health experts is the decreased number of youth who are vaping.

In a statement, Brian King, director of the Food and Drug Administration's Center for Tobacco Products, called the decreased teen vaping rate a "monumental win."

"But we can’t rest on our laurels, as there’s still more work to do to further reduce youth e-cigarette use," King said.

Xavier Becerra, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, lauded the youth vaping rate reaching its lowest level in a decade.

"It’s a hopeful sign that Americans have gotten wise to the risks of these products among youth and the marketing used by some to target our kids," Becerra said.

Watchdog: Illegal vapes and nicotine pouches demand scrutiny

While anti-tobacco watchdogs applaud the drop in teen vaping, they still fret about kids who frequently use these devices. Among teens who vape, 42% of high school users and 27% of middle school users said they vaped frequently or daily. Those teen users might be ingesting products packed with nicotine. One study reported nicotine levels of disposable e-cigarettes surged nearly threefold from 2017 to 2022.

Even with fewer school-age users, U.S. youth vaping "remains a serious public health problem," in part due to the vaping industry that "remains relentless in finding new ways to addict kids," said Yolonda C. Richardson, President and CEO of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids.

"We cannot let down our guard when over 1.6 million kids still use e-cigarettes and 42% of high school users report frequent or daily use, a strong indication they are addicted to the high-nicotine products now on the market," Richardson said in a statement.

Richardson urged the FDA and other federal agencies to increase enforcement to clear away vaping devices that remain on the market without authorization. The FDA has authorized the marketing of fewer than three dozen e-cigarette products, Richardson said, but thousands of unauthorized products remain on the market.

She said nicotine pouches could entice youth users because they contain mint and fruit flavors that appeal to kids and they are heavily promoted on social media. She urged the FDA to closely monitor these products and take steps to prevent underage use.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: As teen vaping rates drop, more are turning to this product