Future Retirement Success
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Investing
  • Stocks
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Investing
  • Stocks

Future Retirement Success

Investing

The Misleading Correlation Between Teen Vaping and Teen Smoking Declines

by October 18, 2024
October 18, 2024
The Misleading Correlation Between Teen Vaping and Teen Smoking Declines

Jeffrey A. Singer

On October 17, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that the rate of teen tobacco smoking and vaping continued to decline over the past year. The report states:

From 2023 to 2024, current (previous 30-day) use of any tobacco product declined among high school students from 12.6% to 10.1%, largely driven by the decline in high school e‑cigarette use (from 10.0% to 7.8%). During 2024, e‑cigarettes remained the most commonly used tobacco product among U.S. youths; nicotine pouches were the second most commonly used tobacco product. (My emphasis added.)

The CDC commits the common error of assuming correlation is causation. By noting both the decline in vaping and teen smoking, the CDC implies a causal link without directly acknowledging other potential factors. However, there is evidence that teen vaping, once fueled by public anti-vaping campaigns, has been a passing fad that is now waning.

Researchers at Brown University, analyzing Monitoring the Future 12th grade data from 2009 to 2018 found teens who used e‑cigarettes may have otherwise smoked tobacco:

Youth e‑cigarette use has increased rapidly, with high prevalence among nonsmoking youth. However, the decline in current smoking among 12th graders has accelerated since e‑cigarettes have become available. E‑cigarette use is largely concentrated among youth who share characteristics with smokers of the pre-vaping era, suggesting e‑cigarettes may have replaced cigarette smoking.

In an interview, one of the study’s authors stated, “The decline in youth smoking really accelerated after the availability of e‑cigarettes.”

CDC researchers should consider the counterfactual. The correlation between teen vaping and teen smoking might be due to “common liability.” In this case, youths’ desire to consume nicotine explains why those who use e‑cigarettes either also use or would otherwise use cigarettes.

True, as the CDC report mentions, tobacco and e‑cigarette retailers are strictly enforcing age restrictions, which might help to explain the coinciding decline of teen vaping and teen smoking. But the decline might also be related to their growing use of nicotine pouches, many of which are tobacco-free. And, as I wrote in National Review earlier this year, nicotine is the addictive component of tobacco smoke, but the harmful substances are tar, carbon monoxide, and other toxic chemicals in the tobacco leaf. Nicotine by itself is relatively harmless, “no more harmful to health than caffeine.”

With teen vaping and smoking both declining, policymakers no longer have an excuse to restrict adults from consuming flavored e‑cigarettes and other nicotine delivery systems that make it easier for them to quit tobacco. They should end the war on tobacco harm reduction.

0
FacebookTwitterGoogle +Pinterest
previous post
How Primary Reform Stalled—and Why It’s Back
next post
Friday Feature: St. Thomas Aquinas Tutorial

You may also like

Citizen Initiatives Must Be Able to Overcome Government...

July 20, 2023

Changing the Rules in the Face of Increasing...

July 25, 2023

Housing Subsidies Boost Costs

June 9, 2025

Pig Kidneys to the Rescue?

August 17, 2023

Friday Feature: LUMIN Schools

May 23, 2025

Including Emergency Spending in Fiscal Projections Distorts the...

April 25, 2024

The Consequences of Regulation: How GDPR Is Preventing...

June 22, 2023

Juneteenth: A Jubilee of Freedom

June 19, 2024

A Small City’s Financial Crisis Leaves Virginia at...

July 24, 2023

Trump Administration Purge of FBI Managers Underway

January 31, 2025

    Get free access to all of the retirement secrets and income strategies from our experts! or Join The Exclusive Subscription Today And Get the Premium Articles Acess for Free

    By opting in you agree to receive emails from us and our affiliates. Your information is secure and your privacy is protected.

    Recent Posts

    • Most People Want Teacher-Led Prayer in Public Schools—It’s Time to Choose

      June 26, 2025
    • How Should We Think About Misinformation?

      June 26, 2025
    • Mossad chief thanks US for help with Iran, says ‘mission is not yet complete’

      June 26, 2025
    • Who is Anthony Bernal?: The ‘indispensable’ Biden aide ditching House Oversight probe on his mental decline

      June 26, 2025
    • Senate GOP eyes Medicaid sweetener to save Trump’s ‘big, beautiful bill’

      June 26, 2025
    • How to create an inspiring workspace

      June 26, 2025

    Categories

    • Business (8,315)
    • Investing (2,074)
    • Politics (15,809)
    • Stocks (3,168)
    • About us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions

    Disclaimer: futureretirementsuccess.com, its managers, its employees, and assigns (collectively “The Company”) do not make any guarantee or warranty about what is advertised above. Information provided by this website is for research purposes only and should not be considered as personalized financial advice. The Company is not affiliated with, nor does it receive compensation from, any specific security. The Company is not registered or licensed by any governing body in any jurisdiction to give investing advice or provide investment recommendation. Any investments recommended here should be taken into consideration only after consulting with your investment advisor and after reviewing the prospectus or financial statements of the company.

    Copyright © 2025 futureretirementsuccess.com | All Rights Reserved