The D.C. Office of the State Superintendent of Education recently published the results of the 2021 Youth Risk Behavior Survey for Washington, DC youth.
There is welcome news, youth use of combustible cigarettes and vapor products has remarkably declined in recent years, yet, the newly published data comes just months after a flavor ban took effect in the nation’s capital.
Among middle school students, in 2021, 1.3% reported current use of combustible cigarettes, defined as having used the product on at least one occasion in the 30 days prior to the survey. Only 0.2% of middle schoolers in DC reported frequent and daily cigarette use. Regarding vapor product use, among middle school students in DC, 4.5% reported current use in 2021, 0.4% reported frequent use, and 0.3% reported daily e-cigarette use.
Combustible cigarette use is considerably down among middle schoolers, with current use declining by 82.9% between 2007 and 2021, frequent use by 77.7%, and daily use by 66.7%. Vaping appears to have peaked in 2019 among middle schoolers, with current vaping declining by 15.1% between 2019 and 2021, frequent vaping declining by 33.3%, and daily use of e-cigarettes declining by 25%.
Lindsey Stroud – Independent Women’s Forum – 2023-01-09.
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