Teen smoking hit an all-time low in the U.S. this year, part of a big drop in the youth use of tobacco overall, the government reported Thursday.
There was a 20 drop in the estimated number of middle and high school students who recently used at least one tobacco product, including cigarettes, electronic cigarettes, nicotine pouches and hookahs. The number went from 2.8 million last year to 2.25 million this year - the lowest since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's key survey began in 1999.
"Reaching a 25-year low for youth tobacco product use is an extraordinary milestone for public health," said Deirdre Lawrence Kittner, director of CDC's Office on Smoking and Health, in a statement. However, "our mission is far from complete."
A previously reported drop in vaping largely explains the overall decline in tobacco use from 10 to about 8 of students, health officials said.
The youth e-cigarette rate fell to under 6 this year, down from 7.7 last year - the lowest at any point in the last decade. E-cigarettes are the most commonly used tobacco products among teens, followed by nicotine pouches .
