Tobacco Product Use Among Middle and High School Students — United States, 2011 and 2012 (CDC MMWR)

During 2011-2012 there was no significant decline in cigarette smoking or overall tobacco use among U.S. middle and high school students while there were significant increases in the use of emerging tobacco products, notably electronic cigarettes, hookahs (or water pipes), and cigars. Data from the 2012 National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS) show that recent electronic cigarette use rose among middle school students from 0.6 percent in 2011 to 1.1 percent in 2012, and among high school students from 1.5 percent to 2.8 percent. Hookah (or water pipe) use among high school students rose from 4.1 percent to 5.4 percent from 2011 to 2012. During 2011-2012, cigar use increased dramatically among non-Hispanic black high school students from 11.7 percent to 16.7 percent, and has more than doubled since 2009. In 2012, cigar use among high school males was 16.7 percent, similar to cigarette use among high school males (16.3 percent). Electronic cigarettes, hookahs, cigars and other new types of tobacco products are not currently subject to FDA regulation.

URLs: PDF of the Nov. 14 MMWR; CDC Press Release; MMWR Highlights

The online version of the article is available on the CDC Web site at www.cdc.gov/mmwr.

Source: CDC/Office on Smoking and Health