ROCHESTER, NY | May 28, 2026
Youth openness to cigarette use has reached its highest recorded level, with approximately 1 in 5 youth expressing willingness to try cigarettes, according to the New York State Department of Health’s (NYSDOH) 2025 Tobacco Control Program StatShot. In 2024, more than 22% of middle and high school students who had never smoked before reported a willingness to try traditional cigarettes. Although combustible cigarette use among teens has hit a notable low, declining dramatically since since 2000, an openness to trying cigarettes is on the rise, Recent trends show a preference among youth for e-cigarettes and flavored products, while approximately 1 in 6 youth (17%) currently use tobacco products. While cigarette smoking has dropped to historic lows in New York, e-cigarettes remain the most commonly used tobacco product among youth, according to the StatShot.
This increase in inclination to try cigarettes signals a shift in youth perceptions of the harms of tobacco products and may influence future use patterns.
Nicotine is a highly addictive substance that affects the brain’s reward system by increasing dopamine levels, the neurotransmitter associated with pleasure, motivation, and reinforcement. Repeated nicotine exposure can “prime” the adolescent brain for addiction by strengthening these reward pathways, making young people more vulnerable to nicotine dependence and potentially increasing susceptibility to other substance use disorders later in life.
Because the adolescent brain is still developing, youth can become addicted to nicotine more quickly than adults. Nicotine use during adolescence has also been associated with increased symptoms of anxiety, depression, mood dysregulation, irritability, difficulty concentrating, and heightened stress responses. While some young people may perceive nicotine use as a coping mechanism for stress or anxiety, nicotine addiction itself can worsen mental health symptoms over time by creating cycles of withdrawal and dependence.
The normalization of nicotine use through e-cigarettes, flavored tobacco products, and social media exposure continues to increase youth vulnerability to addiction. As youth openness to cigarette smoking reaches record levels, public health experts remain concerned not only about long-term physical health consequences, but also the impact nicotine addiction can have on emotional wellbeing, academic performance, and lifelong behavioral health outcomes.
New York State’s tobacco prevention initiatives, including efforts led through the Bureau of Tobacco Control (BTC) and Advancing Tobacco-Free Communities (ATFC) program, play an important role in educating youth and communities about the physical and mental health impact of nicotine addiction. Prevention efforts that address both physical and mental health are critical to protecting youth from a lifetime of addiction and tobacco-related disease.
For young people ages 13–24, the New York State Quitline offers DROPTHEVAPE, a free, confidential quit service. Visit nysmokefree.com/drop-the-vape or call 866-NY-QUITS to get started. For adults seeking support, the American Lung Association’s Freedom From Smoking program is available statewide and has helped hundreds of thousands of people quit for good. The program combines expert guidance with peer support to increase your chances of quitting and staying quit.
Source: New York State Tobacco Control Program. (2026). Youth openness to cigarette smoking in New York has reached highest level on record (StatShot, Vol. 18, No. 2). New York State Department of Health.
About the Smoking and Health Action Coalition of Livingston and Monroe Counties
The Smoking and Health Action Coalition of Livingston and Monroe Counties (SHAC) is a New York State Bureau of Tobacco Control–funded program administered by the American Lung Association. SHAC works to increase support for New York State’s tobacco-free norm through youth action and community engagement using evidence-based, policy-driven strategies. Learn more at www.smokingandhealth.org or contact Lindsay Kremers, Community Engagement Coordinator, Smoking and Health Action Coalition of Livingston and Monroe Counties , [email protected] | (585) 490-8715.
