As cigarette smoking among teens has dropped, vaping has increased

A new analysis of youth smoking trends finds that even as less teenagers are smoking cigarettes, the use of e-cigarettes has spiked. Between 2011-2018, teens who were surveyed reported smoking fewer days in 2018 than in 2011. For instance, half of respondents said they smoked at least 10 days in the previous month — in 2018, around 38% reported doing so. Over the study duration, girls and those in high school also tended to try their first cigarette at an older age than those in 2011. But the share of those who said they used e-cigarettes increased between 2014-2018: 1 in 5 teens said they vaped at least 10 days in 2014, but more than 40% said so in 2018. Proportions of those who vaped at least 20 days and every day over the course of the previous month also increased.