Tobacco Use - Prevention Summary Table

Only one measure per topic is displayed in the summary table. A complete set of measures, where they exist, can be found by following the More Information link in the table below.

Legend:
green line green - headed in the right direction
red line red - headed in the wrong direction
black line black - stable or non-significant change (NSC)
purple purple - indeterminate
blue blue - Healthy People 2020 target
Measure Name Tobacco Use Initiation Youth Tobacco Use
Year Range 2002-2018 1999-2017
Measure

The percentage of individuals among those aged 12 to 17 years and 18 to 25 years who said they had initiated cigarette smoking during the past 12 months.

The percentage of individuals among those aged 12 to 17 years and 18 to 25 years who said they had initiated cigar smoking during the past 12 months.

The percentage of individuals among those aged 12 to 17 years and 18 to 25 years who said they had initiated smokeless tobacco use during the past 12 months.

The percentage of high school students (grades 9–12) who reported use of cigarettes, cigars, smokeless tobacco, or e-cigarettes on at least 1 day during the 30 days before the survey.

Note: To be consistent with the Healthy People 2020 Targets, measures for all products except e-cigarettes are based on data from YRBSS.
Recent Summary Trend Falling Falling
Recent Summary Trend Year Range 2014-2018 2013-2017
Desired Direction Falling Falling
Summary Graph Summary graph for Tobacco Use Initiation, Click to see detailed view of graph Summary graph for Youth Tobacco Use, Click to see detailed view of graph
Trends and Most Recent Estimates In 2018, 2.3% of children and adolescents aged 12 to 17 initiated cigarette smoking in the past year. Among high school students in 2017, 8.8% were current cigarette smokers, 5.5% were current users of smokeless tobacco,8.0% were current cigar smokers (including little cigars). 14.0% were current users of cigarettes, cigars, or smokeless tobacco.
Healthy People 2020 Target Reduce the initiation of the use of cigarettes among children and adolescents aged 12 to 17 years to 4.3%. Decrease the proportion of high school students who currently: smoke cigarettes to 16.0%; use smokeless tobacco to 6.9%; smoke cigars to 8.0%; use cigarettes, cigars, or smokeless tobacco to 21.0%.
More Information Tobacco Use Initiation Youth Tobacco Use
Last Updated March 2020 March 2020
Measure Name: Youth Tobacco Use
Measure Name Youth Tobacco Use
Year Range 1999-2017
Measure

The percentage of high school students (grades 9–12) who reported use of cigarettes, cigars, smokeless tobacco, or e-cigarettes on at least 1 day during the 30 days before the survey.

Note: To be consistent with the Healthy People 2020 Targets, measures for all products except e-cigarettes are based on data from YRBSS.
Recent Summary Trend Falling
Recent Summary Trend Year Range 2013-2017
Desired Direction Falling
Summary Graph Summary graph for Youth Tobacco Use, Click to see detailed view of graph
Trends and Most Recent Estimates Among high school students in 2017, 8.8% were current cigarette smokers, 5.5% were current users of smokeless tobacco,8.0% were current cigar smokers (including little cigars). 14.0% were current users of cigarettes, cigars, or smokeless tobacco.
Healthy People 2020 Target Decrease the proportion of high school students who currently: smoke cigarettes to 16.0%; use smokeless tobacco to 6.9%; smoke cigars to 8.0%; use cigarettes, cigars, or smokeless tobacco to 21.0%.
More Information Youth Tobacco Use
Measure Name: Tobacco Use Initiation
Measure Name Tobacco Use Initiation
Year Range 2002-2018
Measure

The percentage of individuals among those aged 12 to 17 years and 18 to 25 years who said they had initiated cigarette smoking during the past 12 months.

The percentage of individuals among those aged 12 to 17 years and 18 to 25 years who said they had initiated cigar smoking during the past 12 months.

The percentage of individuals among those aged 12 to 17 years and 18 to 25 years who said they had initiated smokeless tobacco use during the past 12 months.
Recent Summary Trend Falling
Recent Summary Trend Year Range 2014-2018
Desired Direction Falling
Summary Graph Summary graph for Tobacco Use Initiation, Click to see detailed view of graph
Trends and Most Recent Estimates In 2018, 2.3% of children and adolescents aged 12 to 17 initiated cigarette smoking in the past year.
Healthy People 2020 Target Reduce the initiation of the use of cigarettes among children and adolescents aged 12 to 17 years to 4.3%.
More Information Tobacco Use Initiation