Youth and Tobacco Use

The Burden of Tobacco on Youth and Young Adults

In 2023, 12.7% of Connecticut high school youth reported that they had used some form of tobacco in the past 30 days. The most popular product used among high school youth was electronic vapor products (EVPs). Currently, 17% of CT adults aged 18-24 are using e-cigarettes and tobacco use is highest among young adults between the ages of 18 and 34.  

Almost all adult daily smokers start before the age of 25, before the brain is fully developed. Commercial tobacco and nicotine use among youth and young adults is associated with:

• Nicotine dependence,
• Future tobacco and other substance use,
• Harm to the developing brain,
• Impact on behavior and learning,
• Reduced lung function and impaired lung growth,
• Heart and lung disease, and
• Exposure to secondhand smoke and aerosol.

Youth and young adults are at an increased risk of using commercial tobacco. There are several factors that lead to tobacco-related disparities among young people: 

• Marketing and advertising that target and appeal to youth,
• Use of flavors that influence young people to try products,
• Lack of smoke-free protections in certain communities,
• Accessibility to tobacco products in the retail or online environment,
• Barriers to healthcare and treatment for tobacco and nicotine, and
• Pressures of discrimination, poverty, and other social determinants of health for certain populations.

Visit Vaping, to learn more about e-cigarettes. 

To learn more about tobacco-related disparities and access our factsheets, visit the Tobacco Control Program Main Page. 

CT Data Trends

Cigarette smoking among high school students in CT has been declining over the last twenty years, however current use of electronic vapor products (EVPs) is nearly four times the prevalence of cigarette smoking (11.5% vs. 3.0%). Roughly a third of students who are currently using EVPs are using them daily and nearly 70% use them to vape cannabis. Additionally, over 1 in 3 students who use tobacco, are using two or more types of tobacco. These data indicate nicotine dependence and co-use of products among high school students currently using electronic vapor products.

Visit Tobacco Statistics & Reports to see trends over time, read current reports, and access key findings. 

Strategies that Prevent Youth Initiation of Tobacco

Foundational evidence-based strategies that reduce youth initiation of tobacco products include:

• Increased prices for all tobacco products, including for e-cigarettes,
• Smokefree protections,
• Cessation access, and
• Health communication campaigns.

Other interventions that support these strategies include:

• Evidence-based tobacco prevention programs and alternatives to suspension in schools,
• Tobacco retailer licensure and enforcement, and
• Commercial tobacco sales restrictions.

Visit Tobacco Laws to learn more about CT protections and regulations.

To learn more about secondhand smoke and smoke-free spaces, visit Secondhand Smoke. 

Quitting Tobacco

Young people want to quit. Among CT high school students who had used tobacco products in the past 12 months, nearly half tried to quit for good. This represents approximately 14,200 students. 

Quitting is a process and it’s normal for someone to attempt to quit more than 5 times before they can quit for good. Youth and young adult residents in CT can find free and anonymous services at www.VapeFreeCT.org.

For additional resources, visit CDC's Resources to Help Youth Reject or Quit Vaping. 

Resources

Back to the Tobacco Control Program Main Page 

Last updated on September 19, 2024