Adolescents who smoke or vape may believe tobacco’s perceived coping benefits outweigh accepted health risks

Tobacco use in a variety of forms is common in adolescent life today, with over 2.25 million youth using.

Huge progress has been made over the past few decades in reducing cigarette use among young people. But tobacco use – primarily through e-cigarettes, also known as vapes – remains a complex problem for public health and policy.

In 2024, just over 8% of U.S. middle and high school students reported having used a tobacco product. Among tobacco users, nearly 6% used…