Indiana Youth Smoking and Vaping Rates Drop to Lowest in Decades

,
Indiana Youth Vaping Tobacco Use

The rates of Indiana teens smoking and vaping are on the decline, with high school tobacco use hitting its lowest level in two decades, according to new 2024 data from the Indiana Department of Health (IDOH). The Indiana Youth Tobacco Survey (IYTS) revealed that e-cigarette use among high school students dropped to 5%, the lowest level recorded since data collection began in 2012.

This encouraging trend is a positive sign for public health advocates and medical professionals who warn about the dangers of nicotine use, especially for young people. Dr. Mitchell Pfeiffer, a pulmonologist at Ascension St. Vincent, emphasized that nicotine addiction can significantly impact adolescent brain development. “There’s sensors in the brain that nicotine goes to, so once those receptors are stimulated… it makes it addicting. It’s hard to quit,” he said.

Despite the progress shown in the IYTS, experts remain concerned about the continued availability of flavored tobacco products, frequent e-cigarette use among some youth, and the rising popularity of alternative products like oral nicotine pouches. Dr. Pfeiffer urged the federal government to take a closer look at these products, stating, “I would encourage the FDA to take a closer look at some of these products and the restrictions… they can do this and ban stuff and get rid of it.”

For young people struggling with nicotine addiction, like 21-year-old Jesse Reed who started vaping in middle school, the habit can be costly and difficult to break. Indiana offers free tobacco cessation resources to support those looking to quit. Young Hoosiers can enroll in the Live Vape Free program or access Quit Now Indiana, a free resource for anyone aged 13 and older.

Matthew Ma
Follow
Latest posts by Matthew Ma (see all)

Related posts:

French vaping advocacy group SOVAPE dissolvesFrench Vaping Advocacy Group SOVAPE Announces Dissolution Amid Challenges World No Tobacco DayWorld No Tobacco Day 2025: Quit Smoking, Save Lives UK disposable vapes ban retailers phase outUK Retailers Begin Phasing Out Disposable Vapes Ahead of June 1 Ban prefilled pod vs disposable vapeCould Prefilled Pods Replace Disposable Vapes? oxva xlim se sq pro comparisonOXVA Xlim Showdown – How Do The SE, SQ & Pro Compare? E-cigarettes effective smoking cessation varenicline studyStudy Reveals E-Cigarettes as Effective as Chantix in Smoking Cessation