Maryland Youth Vaping Drops 45% Since 2018 as Substance Use Declines

1750426326 Where Vaping is Prohibited in Maryland

The Maryland Department of Health has released its 2024-2025 youth risk behavior survey, showing that Maryland teenagers are using fewer electronic cigarettes, alcohol, and illicit drugs than in previous years. This shift in youth behavior coincides with a drop in reported depression rates, suggesting that state-level prevention and mental health initiatives are making headway.

According to the state data, high school e-cigarette use fell from 20% in 2014 to 12.7% in 2024. Traditional cigarette smoking also continued its long-term decline, plummeting from 11.9% in 2013 to just 3.2% in 2024. More than 10% of active tobacco users reported quitting the habit entirely over the past year. State health officials credit these declines to targeted education campaigns like “The Vape Experiment” and the “21 or None” retailer enforcement program, alongside Maryland’s 2020 ban on flavored disposable vapes.

Substance / Risk FactorHistorical Peak / Previous Rate2024 Rate
E-Cigarette Use (Vaping)20.0% (2014)12.7%
Cigarette Smoking11.9% (2013)3.2%
Cannabis Use19.8% (2013)12.1%
Serious Depression (2+ weeks)39.2% (2021)31.7%
Prescription Painkiller Abuse11.1% (2022)12.5%

While vaping and smoking declined, the survey noted a slight increase in smokeless tobacco use, which crept up from 2.6% in 2022 to 3.4% in 2024. In Baltimore, youth vaping rates remained flat, with about one in three students reporting they had tried a vape product at least once since 2014.

The positive trends extended beyond nicotine. Underage alcohol consumption reached a low of 15.2% in the month preceding the survey. Cannabis use among students also maintained a downward trajectory, falling from 19.8% in 2013 to 12.1% in 2024. Additionally, student reports of serious depression lasting two weeks or more fell from 39.2% in 2021 to 31.7% in 2024.

However, health officials highlighted one area of concern: the non-medical use of prescription drugs. The abuse of prescription painkillers among middle and high school students rose from 11.1% in 2022 to 12.5% in 2024. All other illicit drug categories drew responses from fewer than 3% of surveyed children.

Matthew Ma
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