Nearly 90% of adult smokers in the United States began smoking by age 18 years (
NYTS is a school-based, self-administered, pencil-and-paper questionnaire administered to U.S. middle school (grades 6–8) and high school (grades 9–12) students to collect information on key tobacco control outcome indicators used to monitor the impact of comprehensive tobacco control policies and programs (
Of the 284 schools selected for the 2012 NYTS, 228 (80.3%) participated, resulting in a sample of 24,658 (91.7%) among 26,873 eligible students; the overall response rate was 73.6%. The 2011 NYTS had a comparable overall response rate of 72.7% (
Data were adjusted for nonresponse and weighted to provide national prevalence estimates with 95% confidence intervals for current tobacco use overall and by product, school level, sex, and race/ethnicity. Point estimate differences between 2011 and 2012 were assessed using a two-tailed t-test for significance (p<0.05).
In 2012, 6.7% of middle students reported current use of any tobacco product (
During 2011–2012, among middle school students, for current electronic cigarette use, significant increases were observed overall (0.6% to 1.1%) and among females (0.4% to 0.8%), males (0.7% to 1.5%), and Hispanics (0.6% to 2.0%) (
During 2011–2012, among high school students, for electronic cigarette use, significant increases were observed overall (1.5% to 2.8%) and among females (0.7% to 1.9%), males (2.3% to 3.7%), non-Hispanic whites (1.8% to 3.4%), and Hispanics (1.3% to 2.7%). For hookahs, significant increases were observed overall (4.1% to 5.4%) and among non-Hispanic whites (4.3% to 6.1%). For cigars, a significant increase in use was observed among non-Hispanic blacks (11.7% to 16.7%).
The findings in this report indicate that during 2011–2012 significant increases occurred in current use of nonconventional tobacco products, such as electronic cigarettes and hookahs, among middle and high school students; in addition, an increase in cigar use occurred among non-Hispanic black high school students. During this same period, overall current use of some tobacco products, such as bidis and kreteks, significantly decreased. These findings indicate that more efforts are needed to monitor and prevent the use of both conventional and nonconventional tobacco products among youths.
During 2011–2012, cigar use increased significantly among non-Hispanic black high school students to 16.7%, more than doubling the 2009 estimate (
What is already known on this topic?
Nearly 90% of adult smokers began smoking by age 18 years.
What is added by this report?
Although decreases in the use of certain tobacco products (bidis and kreteks) have been observed, current cigar use has increased among non-Hispanic black high school students (11.7% to 16.7%), and the use of nonconventional products, such as electronic cigarettes, have increased among middle school (0.6% to 1.1%) and high school (1.5% to 2.8%) students.
What are the implications for public health practice?
Current use of cigars and nonconventional tobacco products need to be monitored at local, state, and national levels. This is especially true for nonconventional tobacco products and specific population subgroups. To reduce tobacco use among youths, national and state tobacco control programs can continue to implement evidence-based strategies, including those that will work in coordination with the Food and Drug Administration to regulate the manufacture, distribution, and marketing of tobacco products.
The findings in this report are subject to at least six limitations. First, data were only collected from youths who attended either public or private schools and might not be generalizable to all middle and high school-aged youths. Second, data were self-reported; thus, the findings are subject to recall and response bias. Third, current tobacco use was defined by including students who responded to questions about at least one of the 10 tobacco products but might have had missing responses to any of the other tobacco products that were assessed; missing responses were considered as nonuse, which might have resulted in conservative estimates. Fourth, in 2012, the question wording for bidis and kreteks was modified, and cigar brand examples were added to the heading and ever cigar use question of the survey; therefore, any observed changes in prevalence estimates across years might be attributed in part to these wording modifications. Fifth, the NYTS overall response rate of 73.6% in 2012 and 72.7% in 2011 might have resulted in nonresponse bias, even after adjustment for nonresponse. Finally, estimates might differ from those derived from other youth surveillance systems, in part because of differences in survey methodology, survey type and topic, and age and setting of the target population. However, overall relative trends are similar across the various youth surveys (
Effective, population-based interventions for preventing tobacco use among youths are outlined in the Surgeon General’s report (
The question to assess past 30 day use of bidis changed between 2011 and 2012. In 2011, the bidis question was “In the past 30 days, on how many days did you smoke bidis?” Students selected among “0 days,” “1 or 2 days,” “3 to 9 days,” “10 to 19 days,” “20 to 29 days,” or “all 30 days.” In 2012, the bidis question was “In the past 30 days, which of the following products have you used on at least one day?” Students could select different products, of which “bidis (small brown cigarettes wrapped in a leaf)” was a possible selection. This change might have affected the results for bidis.
The question to assess past 30 day use of kreteks changed between 2011 and 2012. In 2011, the kreteks question was “In the past 30 days, on how many days did you smoke kreteks?” Students selected among “0 days,” “1 or 2 days,” “3 to 9 days,” “10 to 19 days,” “20 to 29 days,” or “all 30 days.” In 2012, the bidis question was “In the past 30 days, which of the following products have you used on at least one day?” Students could select different products, of which “clove cigarettes (kreteks)” was a possible selection. This change might have affected the results for kreteks.
The heading for the cigar section of the questionnaire changed between 2011 and 2012. In 2011, the heading was “Cigars.” In 2012, the heading was “Cigars, cigarillos, or little cigars, such as Black and Milds, Swisher Sweets, Dutch Masters, White Owl, or Phillies Blunts,” and the question on ever use of cigars also included brand names. This change might have affected the results for cigars.
FDA has expressed its intent to assert jurisdiction over all tobacco products. Additional information available at
Percentage of middle and high school students currently using
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| School level/Product type | % | (95% CI) | % | (95% CI) | % | (95% CI) | % | (95% CI) | % | (95% CI) | % | (95% CI) |
| Tobacco | 7.5 | (6.5–8.8) | 6.7 | (5.8–7.7) | 5.9 | (4.7–7.4) | 5.6 | (4.7–6.7) | 9.0 | (7.9–10.3) | 7.8 | (6.7–9.0) |
| Cigarettes | 4.3 | (3.5–5.2) | 3.5 | (2.8–4.3) | 4.0 | (3.1–5.2) | 3.2 | (2.5–4.0) | 4.5 | (3.7–5.5) | 3.8 | (3.0–4.7) |
| Cigars | 3.5 | (2.8–4.2) | 2.8 | (2.4–3.4) | 2.5 | (1.9–3.4) | 2.4 | (1.9–3.2) | 4.3 | (3.4–5.4) | 3.2 | (2.7–3.8) |
| Smokeless tobacco | 2.2 | (1.8–2.7) | 1.7 | (1.3–2.1) | 1.4 | (1.0–2.0) | 1.2 | (0.8–1.6) | 3.0 | (2.3–3.8) | 2.2 | (1.7–2.9) |
| Pipes | 2.2 | (1.7–2.9) | 1.8 | (1.4–2.3) | 1.8 | (1.3–2.5) | 1.7 | (1.3–2.3) | 2.7 | (2.1–2.5) | 1.9 | (1.4–2.4) |
| Bidis | 1.7 | (1.3–2.2) | 0.6 | (0.5–0.7) | 1.4 | (1.0–1.9) | 0.4 | (0.3–0.7) | 1.9 | (1.4–2.6) | 0.7 | (0.5–1.0) |
| Kreteks | 1.1 | (0.9–1.4) | 0.5 | (0.4–0.7) | 0.9 | (0.6–1.3) | 0.4 | (0.3–0.7) | 1.3 | (1.0–1.6) | 0.6 | (0.4–0.9) |
| Hookahs | 1.0 | (0.8–1.4) | 1.3 | (1.0–1.7) | 1.0 | (0.6–1.6) | 1.0 | (0.7–1.4) | 1.1 | (0.7–1.5) | 1.5 | (1.1–2.2) |
| Snus | 0.9 | (0.6–1.2) | 0.8 | (0.6–1.0) | 0.8 | (0.5–1.2) | 0.6 | (0.4–0.9) | 1.0 | (0.6–1.4) | 1.0 | (0.7–1.4) |
| Dissolvable tobacco | 0.3 | (0.2–0.4) | 0.5 | (0.4–0.8) | 0.3 | (0.2–0.5) | 0.4 | (0.2–0.6) | 0.3 | (0.1–0.5) | 0.7 | (0.4–1.1) |
| Electronic cigarettes | 0.6 | (0.4–0.9) | 1.1 | (0.9–1.5) | 0.4 | (0.2–0.7) | 0.8 | (0.6–1.1) | 0.7 | (0.4–1.3) | 1.5 | (1.1–2.1) |
| Tobacco | 24.3 | (22.1–26.6) | 23.3 | (21.6–25.2) | 19.0 | (17.0–21.1) | 18.1 | (16.2–20.1) | 29.4 | (26.6–32.4) | 28.3 | (26.2–30.6) |
| Cigarettes | 15.8 | (13.7–18.1) | 14.0 | (12.5–15.7) | 13.8 | (11.7–16.2) | 11.7 | (10.2–13.4) | 17.7 | (15.2–20.4) | 16.3 | (14.5–18.3) |
| Cigars | 11.6 | (10.5–12.7) | 12.6 | (11.4–13.9) | 7.4 | (6.3–8.6) | 8.4 | (7.2–9.8) | 15.7 | (14.3–17.2) | 16.7 | (15.0–18.5) |
| Smokeless tobacco | 7.3 | (5.9–9.0) | 6.4 | (5.5–7.5) | 1.6 | (1.2–2.2) | 1.5 | (1.1–2.1) | 12.9 | (10.4–15.9) | 11.2 | (9.5–13.0) |
| Pipes | 4.0 | (3.4–4.6) | 4.5 | (4.0–5.2) | 2.8 | (2.2–3.4) | 3.2 | (2.7–3.9) | 5.1 | (4.3–6.0) | 5.8 | (5.0–6.7) |
| Bidis | 2.0 | (1.6–2.5) | 0.9 | (0.7–1.1) | 1.0 | (0.7–1.4) | 0.5 | (0.3–0.7) | 2.9 | (2.3–3.7) | 1.3 | (1.0–1.7) |
| Kreteks | 1.7 | (1.4–2.0) | 1.0 | (0.8–1.2) | 0.8 | (0.6–1.2) | 0.5 | (0.3–0.7) | 2.4 | (1.9–2.9) | 1.5 | (1.1–1.9) |
| Hookahs | 4.1 | (3.4–5.0) | 5.4 | (4.6–6.3) | 3.5 | (2.8–4.4) | 4.5 | (3.7–5.4) | 4.8 | (3.7–6.1) | 6.2 | (5.3–7.3) |
| Snus | 2.9 | (2.3–3.7) | 2.5 | (2.0–3.0) | 0.8 | (0.5–1.1) | 0.9 | (0.7–1.3) | 5.1 | (3.9–6.6) | 3.9 | (3.2–4.9) |
| Dissolvable tobacco | 0.4 | (0.3–0.6) | 0.8 | (0.6–1.0) | 0.1 | (0.1–0.4) | 0.6 | (0.4–0.9) | 0.6 | (0.4–1.0) | 1.0 | (0.8–1.4) |
| Electronic cigarettes | 1.5 | (1.2–2.0) | 2.8 | (2.3–3.5) | 0.7 | (0.5–1.0) | 1.9 | (1.5–2.4) | 2.3 | (1.7–3.1) | 3.7 | (2.9–4.8) |
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| School level/Product type | % | (95% CI) | % | (95% CI) | % | (95% CI) | % | (95% CI) | % | (95% CI) | % | (95% CI) | % | (95% CI) | % | (95% CI) |
| Tobacco | 6.2 | (5.1–7.4) | 5.1 | (4.2–6.3) | 8.5 | (6.6–10.9) | 7.7 | (5.9–10.1) | 11.5 | (10.2–13.1) | 10.5 | (8.6–12.8) | 6.1 | (3.8–9.9) | 3.1 | (1.7–5.4) |
| Cigarettes | 3.8 | (2.8–5.1) | 3.1 | (2.4–4.0) | 3.6 | (2.6–5.0) | 2.6 | (1.7–4.0) | 6.7 | (5.6–8.0) | 5.4 | (4.2–7.1) | 3.4 | (2.0–5.8) | 1.7 | (0.8–3.6) |
| Cigars | 2.3 | (1.7–3.0) | 1.6 | (1.2–2.0) | 5.7 | (4.3–7.4) | 5.0 | (3.8–6.6) | 6.1 | (4.9–7.4) | 4.9 | (3.8–6.4) | 1.6 | (0.8–3.2) | 1.5 | (0.7–3.1) |
| Smokeless tobacco | 2.3 | (1.8–2.9) | 1.6 | (1.1–2.2) | 1.0 | (0.5–2.1) | 0.6 | (0.3–1.3) | 2.9 | (2.3–3.6) | 2.4 | (1.7–3.4) | 2.4 | (1.2–4.8) | 1.4 | (0.7–3.1) |
| Pipes | 1.5 | (1.1–2.2) | 1.2 | (0.8–1.7) | 1.3 | (0.8–2.1) | 1.2 | (0.6–2.2) | 5.0 | (4.2–6.1) | 3.7 | (2.7–5.1) | 2.5 | (1.2–5.0) | 0.5 | (0.2–1.1) |
| Bidis | 1.0 | (0.7–1.5) | 0.3 | (0.2–0.5) | 1.9 | (1.1–3.2) | 0.6 | (0.4–1.0) | 3.5 | (2.6–4.6) | 1.2 | (0.8–1.8) | 1.2 | (0.5–2.8) | 0.7 | (0.2–2.4) |
| Kreteks | 0.6 | (0.4–0.6) | 0.3 | (0.2–0.5) | 0.9 | (0.5–1.6) | 0.2 | (0.1–0.7) | 2.5 | (2.0–3.3) | 1.0 | (0.6–1.7) | 1.8 | (0.7–4.3) | 0.7 | (0.2–2.4) |
| Hookahs | 0.9 | (0.6–1.4) | 0.8 | (0.6–1.2) | 0.9 | (0.5–1.7) | 0.9 | (0.4–1.8) | 1.7 | (1.2–2.3) | 3.0 | (2.2–4.1) | 0.1 | (0.0–0.5) | 0.3 | (0.1–1.6) |
| Snus | 1.0 | (0.7–1.4) | 0.7 | (0.5–1.0) | 0.6 | (0.2–1.3) | 0.4 | (0.1–0.9) | 1.0 | (0.6–1.5) | 1.1 | (0.7–1.7) | 0.7 | (0.2–2.5) | 0.4 | (0.1–2.8) |
| Dissolvable tobacco | 0.2 | (0.1–0.5) | 0.4 | (0.2–0.7) | 0.4 | (0.1–1.2) | 0.5 | (0.2–1.5) | 0.2 | (0.1–0.5) | 1.0 | (0.6–1.6) | 0.4 | (0.1–2.4) | 0.1 | (0.0–0.5) |
| Electronic cigarettes | 0.6 | (0.4–1.0) | 0.9 | (0.6–1.3) | 0.4 | (0.2–1.0) | 1.1 | (0.6–2.2) | 0.6 | (0.4–1.1) | 2.0 | (1.4–2.9) | 0.7 | (0.2–2.6) | 0.3 | (0.1–0.8) |
| Tobacco | 26.6 | (23.6–29.8) | 24.6 | (22.3–27.0) | 18.9 | (15.6–22.8) | 22.6 | (19.7–25.8) | 23.8 | (21.2–26.5) | 22.5 | (19.5–25.6) | 13.9 | (10.5–18.3) | 13.7 | (9.9–18.8) |
| Cigarettes | 17.6 | (14.7–20.9) | 15.4 | (13.2–17.8) | 10.6 | (7.6–14.6) | 9.6 | (7.6–12.0) | 15.8 | (13.9–17.8) | 14.3 | (12.0–16.9) | 8.9 | (6.2–12.5) | 8.7 | (5.9–12.5) |
| Cigars | 12.1 | (10.7–13.6) | 12.2 | (10.8–13.8) | 11.7 | (9.8–13.9) | 16.7 | (14.4–19.3) | 11.3 | (9.8–13.1) | 12.4 | (10.6–14.4) | 5.7 | (4.0–8.1) | 6.3 | (4.4–9.0) |
| Smokeless tobacco | 9.2 | (7.4–11.5) | 8.1 | (6.9–9.5) | 3.0 | (1.8–5.1) | 2.2 | (1.5–3.2) | 5.1 | (3.8–6.8) | 5.1 | (3.8–6.8) | 4.0 | (2.4–6.6) | 3.4 | (2.3–5.2) |
| Pipes | 3.5 | (2.9–4.4) | 4.5 | (3.8–5.4) | 2.4 | (1.5–3.8) | 2.9 | (1.8–4.5) | 6.3 | (5.2–7.7) | 6.2 | (5.2–7.4) | 3.4 | (1.7–6.6) | 2.4 | (1.4–3.9) |
| Bidis | 1.4 | (1.0–2.0) | 0.7 | (0.5–1.0) | 2.0 | (1.2–3.2) | 0.8 | (0.4–1.7) | 3.7 | (2.9–4.8) | 1.4 | (0.9–2.2) | 1.8 | (1.0–3.4) | 0.4 | (0.2–1.1) |
| Kreteks | 1.4 | (1.0–2.0) | 1.1 | (0.8–1.5) | 1.3 | (0.8–2.2) | 0.6 | (0.3–1.1) | 2.5 | (1.9–3.3) | 0.9 | (0.6–1.4) | 2.0 | (1.0–4.0) | 0.3 | (0.1–0.7) |
| Hookahs | 4.3 | (3.4–5.4) | 6.1 | (5.2–7.2) | 1.7 | (0.9–3.0) | 2.1 | (1.6–2.9) | 5.1 | (4.1–6.3) | 6.6 | (5.1–8.5) | 4.8 | (2.5–9.0) | 2.5 | (1.5–4.1) |
| Snus | 3.7 | (2.8–4.9) | 3.3 | (2.6–4.2) | 0.7 | (0.3–1.5) | 0.6 | (0.3–1.1) | 2.3 | (1.7–3.1) | 1.8 | (1.3–2.5) | 1.7 | (0.7–3.8) | 0.8 | (0.4–1.6) |
| Dissolvable tobacco | 0.3 | (0.1–0.5) | 0.7 | (0.5–0.9) | 0.3 | (0.1–1.2) | 0.8 | (0.4–1.3) | 0.8 | (0.5–1.3) | 1.4 | (1.0–2.1) | 0.6 | (0.1–2.9) | 0.5 | (0.2–1.2) |
| Electronic cigarettes | 1.8 | (1.3–2.4) | 3.4 | (2.7–4.2) | 0.8 | (0.3–1.7) | 1.1 | (0.7–1.9) | 1.3 | (0.8–2.1) | 2.7 | (1.9–3.8) | 0.6 | (0.3–1.2) | 2.2 | (0.9–5.8) |
Current use of cigarettes was determined by asking, "During the past 30 days, on how many days did you smoke cigarettes?" Current use of cigars was determined by asking, "During the past 30 days, on how many days did you smoke cigars, cigarillos, or little cigars?" Current use of smokeless tobacco was determined by asking, "During the past 30 days, on how many days did you use chewing tobacco, snuff, or dip?" Current use of a pipe was determined by asking, "During the past 30 days, on how many days did you smoke tobacco in a pipe?" In 2011, current use of bidis and kreteks was determined by asking, "During the past 30 days, on how many days did you smoke bidis?" and "During the past 30 days, on how many days did you smoke kreteks?" In 2012, current use of bidis and kreteks was determined by asking, "During the past 30 days, which of the following products (bidis and kreteks) have you used on at least 1 day?" Current use of hookahs, snus, dissolvable tobacco, and electronic cigarettes was determined by asking, "During the past 30 days, which of the following products (hookah, snus, dissolvable tobacco, and electronic cigarettes) have you used on at least 1 day?"
Includes use for ≥1 day in the past 30 days of any of the following: cigarettes, cigars, smokeless tobacco, tobacco pipes, bidis, kreteks, hookahs, snus, dissolvable tobacco, or electronic cigarettes.
Difference between 2011 and 2012 was statistically significant by t-test (p<0.05).
Data are statistically unreliable because sample size <50 or relative standard error >0.3 on at least 1 year's data; therefore, no t-test was performed.