E-cigarettes remain the tobacco product most used by children in the United States, but their use has declined significantly, according to a new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The CDC says that smoking e-cigarettes, or vapes, has declined among middle and high school students. E-cigarette use has gone from 2.13 million students in 2023, to 1.63 million in 2024.
Vaping still remains a significant issue, with 2.5 percent of middle schoolers reporting that they use e-cigarettes, meaning that children as young as 11 years old are starting to use nicotine products.
Kathy Crosby, CEO and president of the Truth Initiative, a nonprofit committed to preventing youth and young adult nicotine addiction, told Newsweek: “While the significant drop in youth e-cigarette use is a public health win, the nearly 40 percent of teens who vape frequently remain at high risk for nicotine addiction.”
The most popular vape among the children studied is the Elf Bar, a brand that boasts over 30 flavors, including Watermelon Ice and Pink Lemonade. Elf Bars are the preferred vape brand among 560,000 users.
Breeze vapes are the second most popular vapes, as they are the favorite of 310,000 users, and also come in fruit flavors such as Blue Raspberry and Cherry Cola.
A store in Florida displays electronic cigarette devices manufactured by EB Design, formerly known, and commonly referred to, as Elf Bar
Rebecca Blackwell/Associated Press
Breeze has a section of its website dedicated to combating underage vaping. The company says: “As an e-cigarette industry, we are responsible for saying no to underage vaping… We support the FDA‘s commitment to leverage its authority and resources to take additional steps to address these new, emerging issues associated with underage use.
“We are committed to being part of the solution and understand that the most important way we can make sure kids don’t use any tobacco products is to limit access and appeal.”
Unsurprisingly, the study shows that 1.4 million of the students surveyed prefer vapes that do not taste like tobacco.
Both Elf and Breeze bars are also illegal in the United States, as they lack authorization from the Food and Drug Administration. So, not only is selling a vape to a minor illegal, but the devices themselves are also in violation of the FDA.
Additionally, the only vapes that are authorized by the FDA are tobacco-flavored, meaning the 1.4 million children smoking e-cigarettes that are fruit, menthol, or any other flavor, have all been sold vapes that are illegal in the United States as a whole.
Juul vapes line up on display. The company halted sales of its mint-flavor e-cigarette in 2019 after the release of two studies that showed a surge in teen use.
Justin Sullivan/Getty images
Crosby said there is an urgent need for stronger protections and continued support for evidence-based programs to prevent children from vaping, and to help them to quit successfully.
Crosby added: “The vast majority of youth-appealing e-cigarettes are on the market illegally, and retailers should immediately stop selling these harmful products.
“The tobacco industry’s pursuit of the next generation and retailers’ easy access to illegal flavored tobacco products remain serious public health threats, and we must hold them accountable while giving young people the tools they need to break free from nicotine addiction.”
Elf Bar manufacturer iMiracle Shenzhen has been contacted for comment.
