Opponents Still Spouting Alarmism While Cherry-Picking Data
The results of the 2022 Monitoring the Future Survey (MTF) were published on December 15.
The annual survey conducted by researchers at the University of Michigan tracks the use of various substances from tobacco and vapor products to illicit drugs, among 8th, 10th, and 12th graders across the country. Despite the good news that youth vaping is at levels far below their peak in 2019, anti-tobacco and vapor organizations are now using these results in an even more nefarious fashion and are continuing to decry a youth vaping epidemic.
According to MTF, in 2022, only 17% of 8th graders, 28.2% of 10th graders, and 38.8% of 12th graders reported ever trying a nicotine-containing e-cigarette product in their lifetime. While there was a slight increase in some age groups between 2021 and 2022, youth vaping is still at levels far below 2019.
Between 2021 and 2022, lifetime use of e-cigarettes increased by 2.4% among 8th graders and by less than 1% among 12th graders, but it decreased by nearly 1% among 10th graders. Between 2019 and 2022, lifetime e-cigarette use decreased by 16.3% among 8th graders, by 22.3% among 10th graders, and by 4.9% among 12th graders.
Lindsey Stroud – IWF – 2022-12-20.
Want More Investigative Content?
