The Nebraska Department of Education has released the 2023 results of the state’s Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS). The YRBS, a biennial survey conducted in coordination with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, monitors various youth behaviors, from dietary and physical activity habits to mental health and substance use. For policymakers concerned with youth tobacco use, the 2023 results bring welcome news: the percentage of youth using traditional tobacco products is at record lows, and youth vaping has significantly declined since peaking in 2019.
In 2023, only 10.8% of Nebraskan high school students reported ever trying combustible cigarettes, while 1.9% reported current use, defined as having used the product on at least one occasion in the 30 days prior. These are the lowest rates recorded. Over the past decade, ever-use of cigarettes among Nebraska high schoolers decreased by 66.1%, while current use decreased by 82.6%. Further, these declines have been consistent. Between 2019 and 2023, ever-use of cigarettes decreased by 52.6%, while current use declined by 54.8%.
Other tobacco product use is also down. In 2023, 1.9% of Nebraska high school students reported current use of smokeless tobacco products, including oral nicotine and snus products. This represents a 47.2% decrease from 2021 and a 34.5% decline from 2019.
As youth use of traditional tobacco products reaches record lows, many policymakers have turned their attention toward the use of vapor products. Similar to national data, youth vaping peaked in Nebraska in 2019 when nearly half (49.2%) of high school students had ever tried e-cigarettes, and 17.1% reported current use. In 2023, less than one-fourth (22.4%) of students had tried vaping, while less than one in ten (6.9%) reported current use. Between 2019 and 2023, ever-use of e-cigarettes decreased by 54.1% among Nebraska high schoolers, while current use decreased by 59.6%.
It should be emphasized that while youth vaping has decreased in recent years in Nebraska, adult use has increased. In 2022, 8.5% of Nebraskans aged 18 years or older were currently using e-cigarettes, representing a 26.9% increase from 2021. Moreover, among adults aged 25 years or older who were vaping in 2022, nearly half (46.9%) were formerly smoking.
Policymakers in the Cornhusker State should welcome these significant declines in youth e-cigarette use and record lows in traditional tobacco use. This trend reflects the positive impact of targeted public health initiatives and education campaigns aimed at reducing youth access to and interest in tobacco products. Additionally, lawmakers should recognize the potential benefits of tobacco harm reduction tools such as e-cigarettes, which have helped tens of thousands of Nebraskan adults quit smoking. Therefore, policies should support the use of these harm reduction tools for adults, rather than impose restrictions that could limit their accessibility and effectiveness.