Youth E-Cigarette Use and the Food and Drug Administration’s Multifaceted Approach

Results from the National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS)—an annual survey conducted by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention—showed that in 2019, more than five million US middle and high school students reported current use (at least once in the past 30 days) of e-cigarettes and other electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), and nearly one million students cited daily use. These numbers are indicative of an epidemic of youth e-cigarette use in this country and are particularly troubling, as nicotine exposure during adolescence could harm brain development and lead to a number of long-term and long-lasting health effects, including nicotine addiction. There is also evidence that youth who use ENDS are more likely to start smoking cigarettes. Through public education, compliance and enforcement, an investment in research, and our rigorous science-based approach to regulation, we have developed a multifaceted strategy to ensure that we are doing all we can to protect youths from the harms of tobacco products. The FDA remains committed to ending the youth epidemic of e-cigarette use and preventing the next generation from facing a lifetime of addiction and other potential tobacco-related dangers. The FDA commentary is available below.