Youth e-cigarette use in the U.S. decreased significantly, reaching its lowest level in a decade, according to new data from the 2024 National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS) released by the FDA and the CDC.

The survey found that current (past 30-day) e-cigarette use among U.S. middle and high school students dropped from 2.13 million (7.7%) in 2023 to 1.63 million (5.9%) in 2024, a reduction of 500,000 users. This decline was primarily driven by decreased use among high school students, with no statistically significant change observed in middle school students.

Key findings:

1. Overall youth e-cigarette use decreased by 23.4% from 2023 to 2024.
2. High school e-cigarette use declined from 1.56 million to 1.21 million users.
3. Current youth e-cigarette use was approximately one-third of its peak in 2019 (over 5 million users).
4. 26.3% of current youth e-cigarette users reported daily use.
5. 87.6% of current youth users consumed flavored e-cigarette products.
6. Disposable e-cigarettes were the most common product type used.

The NYTS was an annual, school-based, self-administered survey of U.S. middle (grades 6-8) and high school (grades 9-12) students. The 2024 survey was conducted from January 22 to May 22, 2024, providing nationally representative data on youth tobacco product use.

E-cigarette Use Patterns: Among youth who currently used e-cigarettes, the top three most commonly used flavors were:

1. Fruit (62.8%)
2. Candy (33.3%)
3. Mint (25.1%)

Brand Preferences: The most commonly reported e-cigarette brands among current users were:

1. Elf Bar (36.1%)
2. Breeze (19.9%)
3. Mr. Fog (15.8%)
4. Vuse (13.7%)
5. JUUL (12.6%)

Youth reporting use of Elf Bar products decreased from 56.7% in 2023 to 36.1% in 2024. The FDA reported issuing over 1,000 warning letters and 240 civil money penalties to retailers and others in the supply chain related to Elf Bar products. The agency also placed Elf Bar products on an import alert "red list," allowing for detention without full inspection at entry.

Nicotine Pouch Use: The survey also monitored youth use of nicotine pouches:

1. Youth nicotine pouch use showed no statistically significant change from 2023 (1.5%) to 2024 (1.8%).
2. Approximately 500,000 middle and high school students reported current nicotine pouch use.
3. 22.4% of current nicotine pouch users reported daily use.
4. 85.6% of current users consumed flavored nicotine pouch products.

Top nicotine pouch brands among current users:

1. Zyn (68.7%)
2. on! (14.2%)
3. Rogue (13.6%)
4. Velo (10.7%)
5. Juice Head ZTN (9.8%)

Most common nicotine pouch flavors:

1. Mint (53.3%)
2. Fruit (22.4%)
3. Menthol (19.3%)

Additional Data and Resources:

1. The FDA's "The Real Cost" Youth E-Cigarette Prevention campaign reached approximately 90% of U.S. teens with prevention messages.
2. The FDA's Vaping Prevention and Education Resource Center provided free science-based lesson plans and materials for teachers and parents to promote learning and conversations about youth tobacco product use.
3. The CDC offered resources including the "Empower Vape-Free Youth" campaign for middle and high school educators.
4. The FDA reported focused compliance and enforcement actions against unauthorized e-cigarette products, including those under the Elf Bar brand.
5. The survey data was featured in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), providing additional context and analysis for healthcare professionals.

The 2024 NYTS data provided valuable insights into current usage trends and patterns of e-cigarettes and nicotine pouches among U.S. youth, informing both clinical practice and public health interventions.