The FDA and CDC report has good news. According to the data from the National Youth Tobacco Survey, tobacco use among middle school and high school students has declined. The numbers show a drop from 12.6 percent to 10.1 percent. This is huge for students and parents because fewer youth picking up cigarettes means fewer tobacco-related illnesses and deaths in the future. The American Lung Association (ALA) highlights how significant this update is. This news is one victory in a decades-long problem.“The American Lung Association is pleased that youth tobacco use is the lowest it has been in the last 25 years. This is a result of decades of work from the Lung Association and our public health partners to educate the public, including parents and students, about the harms of tobacco and successfully advocate for proven policies to reduce youth tobacco use,” said Harold Wimmer, President and CEO of the American Lung Association.The National Youth Tobacco Survey results were released on October 17 in the FDA and the CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. About 30,000 kids nationwide participated in the survey between January and May 2024. What led to the numbers dropping was policy on the federal level, including higher taxes on cigarettes and the removal of flavored cigarettes in stores. These steps were accomplished through advocacy by the ALA and other organizations. These results show the progress made after the relentless push to remove tobacco products from kids’ reach.Current use of selected tobacco products,* any tobacco product,† any combustible tobacco product,§ and multiple tobacco products¶ by middle and high school students — National Youth Tobacco Survey, United States, 2023 and 2024**“Progress has happened because our nation has been working so hard against the tobacco companies to implement these proven policies,” said Erika Sward, Assistant Vice President for nationwide advocacy of ALA.“Progress shows a path forward if our political officials and decision-makers are willing to follow it. Tobacco use remains the leading cause of preventable death in the United States. It is a huge burden on families,” said Sward.It took 25 years to get the number so low because tobacco companies have been persistent in selling kids their products. Multiple organizations had to assemble a systematic approach to make a dent in this problem. They advocated for policies like the Tobacco Control Act, pushed for higher taxes on cigarettes to price out people, and even ran mass media campaigns that the FDA and CDC ran. All of this is necessary because it is effortless for kids and teens to pick up cigarettes.Sward explains that most youth get their cigarettes from a social source. This could be a friend, a relative, or even a parent. Sward and the ALA are aware that certain retailers sell cigarettes to underage customers, and teens know where those retailers are. The survey results have shown progress, but the ALA reveals that there are 2 million middle and high schoolers using tobacco products.“We know that tobacco companies are not going anywhere. Our nation needs to do a better job of stopping the illegal import of flavored e-cigarettes and other tobacco products that are aimed at kids. We have 480,000 individuals dying every year from tobacco use, and millions of more who are living with the tobacco-caused disease,” said Sward.The ALA will continue the work on reducing Tobacco use among middle and high school students. Sward encourages those who want to help solve the problem to contact their local elected officials to push more policies that reduce tobacco use. The vice president advises parents to use model behavior with their children by not smoking. If parents use tobacco products, their kids are more likely to use them as well, according to Sward. For the ALA, Every step counts towards their goal of eliminating tobacco addiction.“Our work is making a difference, but the fact is that 2.25 million middle and high school students still use tobacco products. We won’t stop until all kids are safe from tobacco addiction and all current users have the help they need to end their addiction for good,” said Wimmer.The post Tobacco use among middle school and high school students declines to 10.1% appeared first on The Atlanta Voice.