The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has released the latest findings from the 2025 National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS), and the data continues to show a trend that many in the tobacco harm reduction space have pointed to for years: youth tobacco use is continuing to decline. 

According to the FDA’s newly published peer-reviewed analysis, current use of tobacco products among middle and high school students declined between 2022 and 2025 across multiple categories, including overall tobacco use, combustible tobacco products, and e-cigarettes. 

The survey found that approximately 7.2% of middle and high school students reported current use of any tobacco product in 2025, representing about 2 million students nationwide. Among those surveyed: 

• 5.2% reported current e-cigarette use 
• 1.7% reported current nicotine pouch use 
• 1.4% reported current cigarette use 
• 2.6% reported use of combustible tobacco products 
• 2.7% reported using multiple tobacco products 

Youth Vaping Continues Moving Downward 

 

Perhaps one of the most notable findings is the continued decline in youth e-cigarette use. 

High school vaping rates have dropped dramatically from their peak in 2019. Multiple analyses of the 2025 NYTS data show youth vaping has continued trending downward, reaching some of the lowest levels recorded in years. 

While opponents of vaping often continue using outdated talking points from the height of the youth vaping surge several years ago, current federal data paints a much different picture in 2025. 

At the same time, cigarette smoking among youth remains at historically low levels, another significant public health development that often receives far less attention. 

 

Nicotine Pouches Remain Low Overall 

 

 

The FDA also highlighted nicotine pouch usage among youth, which has received increasing scrutiny over the past year as the category has rapidly expanded in the adult market. 

While the number of high school students reporting nicotine pouch use increased between 2022 and 2025, the agency stated that overall youth use remained low and stable between 2024 and 2025. 

That distinction matters. 

Public debate surrounding nicotine pouches has intensified recently, but current federal survey data still shows youth use rates remaining substantially below e-cigarette usage levels. 

 

FDA Continues Focusing on Youth Mitigation Strategies 

 

The FDA emphasized that youth-use data remains a central component of its tobacco product authorization process. 

The agency specifically referenced recent authorizations for flavored vaping products that include advanced access restriction technology, such as: 

• Government ID verification 
• Smartphone pairing 
• Biometric age checks 
• Repeated user authentication requirements 

 

These newer authorization decisions reflect how heavily the FDA is now weighing youth mitigation measures when evaluating products, particularly flavored vapor products. 

For many in the industry, however, this continues raising broader questions about regulatory consistency and feasibility. Critics argue the technological and evidentiary standards now being applied to reduced-risk nicotine products far exceed anything historically required for combustible cigarettes. 

 

The Bigger Public Health Conversation 

 

The latest NYTS findings arrive during an ongoing national debate surrounding vaping, nicotine pouches, youth prevention efforts, and harm reduction policy. 

On one hand, regulators and public health organizations continue emphasizing the importance of preventing youth nicotine use. On the other, declining youth tobacco rates alongside historically low cigarette smoking rates are fueling continued discussions about whether current regulatory approaches are striking the right balance between youth prevention and adult harm reduction. 

The FDA says it plans to continue closely monitoring youth tobacco trends through future NYTS surveys, with 2026 data collection already underway. 

As the conversation evolves, the newest NYTS data provides an important reminder that the landscape looks very different today than it did several years ago — and future policy discussions should reflect current data, not outdated narratives.