Why the Demise of Youth Smoking Is an Overlooked Public Health Triumph
October 30, 2024 by filtermag.org
Why the Demise of Youth Smoking Is an Overlooked Public Health Triumph
Youth smoking in the US is at an all-time low, but the public focus remains on vaping. Professor Kenneth Warner highlights this discrepancy in a paper questioning why the decline isn't celebrated more. Misconceptions linking nicotine vapes to cigarettes' harm persist, hindering recognition of reduced youth smoking rates as a public health success. Social norms and policies have primarily driven the decline, but e-cigarettes likely accelerated it since the mid-2010s. The decline in youth smoking contributes to longer life expectancies and reduced demand for cancer treatment, though care for older populations may increase.
19.30% of the adult population are current smokers. There are approximately 52.1 million current smokers in United States 22.90% of men are current smokers but only 15.80% of women.
SOURCE: GSTHR