US teens are smoking and vaping less than their peers abroad
August 20, 2026 by theconversation.com
US teens are smoking and vaping less than their peers abroad
Lower youth smoking and vaping rates in the US deserve attention because they challenge the assumption that harm reduction for adults must come at the cost of youth protection. The real question is what policies, norms and enforcement patterns are helping to reduce adolescent use while still recognising that adult smokers need alternatives to cigarettes. Youth prevention and adult harm reduction should not be treated as opposing goals. A serious nicotine strategy has to protect young people without distorting the risk message for everyone else.
14.10% of the adult population are current smokers. There are approximately 39.8 million current smokers in United States 17.10% of men are current smokers but only 11.10% of women.
SOURCE: GSTHR
