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U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion

Reduce current tobacco use in adolescents — TU‑04 Infographic

This objective is a Leading Health Indicator (LHI). Learn about LHIs.

Status: Getting worse

  Getting worse

Most Recent Data:
23.0 percent (2019)

Target:
11.3 percent

Desired Direction:
Decrease desired

Baseline:
18.3 percent of students in grades 6 through 12 used cigarettes, e-cigarettes, cigars, smokeless tobacco, hookah, pipe tobacco, and/or bidis in the past 30 days in 2018

Commercial tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the United States. Youth use of tobacco products in any form, including e-cigarettes, is unsafe. Most people who use tobacco products start during adolescence, and those who start at younger ages are more likely to develop nicotine dependence and have trouble quitting. National, state, and local program activities — like programs and policies that encourage tobacco-free places and lifestyles — can help prevent or reduce the use of all forms of tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, among adolescents.

In 2019, 23.0 percent of students in grades 6 through 12 used cigarettes, e-cigarettes, cigars, smokeless tobacco, hookah, pipe tobacco, and/or bidis in the past 30 days.

Data Source:  National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS), CDC/NCCDPHP

Disparities in current tobacco use rates among adolescents by race and ethnicity: Highest/lowest rate ‡

In 2019, non-Hispanic American Indian or Alaska Native adolescents in grades 6 through 12 had the highest group rate of current tobacco use (32.0 percent). Non-Hispanic Asian adolescents (reference group) had the lowest group rate (10.7 percent).

The rate of current tobacco use among non-Hispanic American Indian or Alaska Native adolescents was 3 times the rate among non-Hispanic Asian adolescents (maximal rate ratio). The difference between the highest and lowest group rates was 21.3 percentage points (maximal rate difference).

Learn about how we calculate disparities data.

Disparities in current tobacco use rates among adolescents by race and ethnicity: All groups ‡

In 2019, non-Hispanic Asian adolescents in grades 6 through 12 had the lowest group rate of current tobacco use (10.7 percent).

  • The rate of current tobacco use among non-Hispanic Black or African American adolescents was 83.0 percent higher than the lowest group rate.
  • The rate of current tobacco use among Hispanic or Latino adolescents was more than twice the lowest group rate.
  • The rate of current tobacco use among non-Hispanic White adolescents was more than twice the lowest group rate.
  • The rate of current tobacco use among non-Hispanic Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander adolescents was more than 2.5 times the lowest group rate.
  • The rate of current tobacco use among non-Hispanic American Indian or Alaska Native adolescents was 3 times the lowest group rate.

Percentage of current tobacco use among adolescents in grades 6 through 12, 2019

10.7% Non-Hispanic Asian adolescents
19.6% Non-Hispanic Black or African American adolescents
22.0% Hispanic or Latino adolescents
25.3% Non-Hispanic White adolescents
28.2% Non-Hispanic Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander adolescents
32.0% Non-Hispanic American Indian or Alaska Native adolescents

Find data for additional demographic groups.