New Data Show Illegal Flavored Disposable Tobacco Products Continue to Addict Youth

In response to the release of the 2022 National Youth Tobacco Survey e-cigarette data from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, American Lung Association National President and CEO Harold Wimmer released the following statement:  

“The 2022 National Youth Tobacco Survey reveals that youth continue to be overwhelmingly drawn to flavored e-cigarettes. These products, almost all of which are disposable and on the market illegally, continue to flood the market in complete disregard of the law. This is very troubling and shows the urgent need for the Biden Administration to strictly enforce the Tobacco Control Act by taking action to stop the sale of illegal e-cigarette manufacturers, wholesalers and distributors.

“These new data show that youth vaping continues to be a serious public health concern. More than 2.55 million middle and high school students reported that they have used e-cigarettes in the last 30 days, and nearly 85% of them are using flavored products, including 26.6% using menthol and 29.4% using mint-flavored e-cigarettes. The data also underscore how addicted youth are to these products. 42.3% of youth who use e-cigarettes are vaping regularly (20 or more of the past 30 days), and 27.6% are vaping daily.  

“In March, Congress closed the Puff Bar loophole when it passed a law requiring FDA to regulate tobacco products made with synthetic nicotine. As a result, all synthetic nicotine products on the market are now illegal, yet are still being sold in the U.S.

“The National Youth Tobacco Survey data show the urgent need to prevent more kids from becoming addicted to these products and from new flavored products coming onto the marketplace. We urge FDA, as well as other agencies including the Department of Justice, to take action to remove all illegal e-cigarette products from the market and put strict enforcement measures in place.”

The Lung Association has resources to prevent tobacco use and help youth quit, specifically designed for schools, parents and teens, including TalkAboutVaping, our Vape-Free Schools Initiative, Not On Tobacco, and more resources available online.