The Kentucky Department of Education has recently released the results from the 2023 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) conducted in the Bluegrass State. The biennial survey monitors a variety of behaviors among middle and high school students, ranging from dietary habits and physical activity to mental health issues and substance use.
The survey brings encouraging news for policymakers: the use of traditional tobacco products among youth remains low, and the use of vapor products has significantly declined since its peak in 2019.
In 2023, 10% of Kentucky middle school students reported having tried a combustible cigarette at least once, and 2.2% reported current use, defined as having used the product at least once in the 30 days preceding the survey. From 2019 to 2023, the percentage of students who had ever tried cigarettes dropped by 39.4%, while current use fell by 48.8%. However, between 2021 and 2023, the rate of students who had ever tried cigarettes decreased by 21.9%, while current use increased by 29.4%.
For other tobacco products in 2023, 2.1% of middle school students reported current use of smokeless tobacco, and 2.8% reported current use of cigars. Current use of smokeless tobacco decreased by 46.2%, and cigar use fell by 28.2% from 2019 to 2023.
Vaping among middle schoolers has also seen a steady decline since 2019. In 2023, 23.2% had tried an e-cigarette, and 10.6% were current users. Ever-use of e-cigarettes dropped by 26.1%, and current use decreased by 38.7% from 2019 to 2023. Additionally, from 2021 to 2023, ever-use of e-cigarettes fell by 3.8%, while current use decreased by 6.2%.
Kentucky high school students experienced similar patterns. In 2023, 24.3% reported having ever tried a combustible cigarette, and 5.3% reported currently smoking, marking a decrease of 20.6% in ever-use and 40.4% in current use since 2019. Like middle schoolers, ever-use among high school students dropped by 8% from 2021 to 2023, while current use rose slightly by 8.2%.
In 2023, 3.1% of high school students reported current use of smokeless tobacco products, and 4.1% reported currently using cigars. Between 2019 and 2023, current smokeless tobacco use decreased by 51.6%, while current cigar use declined by 48.1%.
The trend in vaping continues downward among high school students. In 2023, 41.7% had tried an e-cigarette, and 19.7% were current users. Ever-use of e-cigarettes decreased by 22.3% and current use by 24.5% between 2019 and 2023. Additionally, ever-use of vapor products fell by 7.6%, and current use decreased by 10% from 2021 to 2023.
While Kentucky policymakers should be pleased with these historic lows in youth tobacco use and the declines in vaping, it’s important to remain vigilant. Focusing too heavily on reducing the use of one particular type of tobacco product may inadvertently lead to increased use of other, potentially more harmful tobacco products among youth.
Lindsey Stroud is a Visiting Fellow at Independent Womens Forum, a Senior Fellow at the Taxpayers Protection Alliance, and a board member with the American Vapor Manufacturers Association.