US teens are smoking and vaping less than their peers abroad

The FDA's 2025 National Youth Tobacco Survey finds youth smoking at a historic low of 1.4%, down from 36% of high schoolers in 1997, while vaping fell to 5.2%, its lowest since peaking in 2019. Nicotine pouch use among youth has leveled off at a relatively low 1.7% after rising over the past five years.

Comparisons with Canada, Germany, the U.K., and the Netherlands suggest U.S. teens vape at lower rates than their peers in those countries, though survey methods differ enough to make direct comparisons shaky. Adult smoking in the U.S. has fallen below 10% as of 2024, a steeper decline than in most comparable countries.

Researchers caution that declining youth use doesn't mean nicotine products have stopped being a public health problem, noting adult use remains steady and unauthorized e-cigarette products still dominate the market.

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