STUDIES: Teen smoking down dramatically, shows vaping does not lead to regular tobacco use

TENNESSEE – Two recent studies show positive trends in relation to teen smoking–the rate of
teenagers smoking cigarettes has fallen dramatically, and those who have tried tobacco vaping
products do not progress to smoking cigarettes. The Tennessee Smoke Free Association, a
trade organization with a focus on Tobacco Harm Reduction (THR) through the use of personal
vaporizers, are today pointing to the studies to dispel the myths that surround vapor products,
and doing so one day before World Vape Day 2020. The studies dispute the popular belief
that vaping is a ‘gateway’ to smoking traditional tobacco products.

“The best news is that the smoking rate of 12th graders fell by an unprecedented 25 percent last
year,” said Dimitris Agrafiotis, Executive Director of the Tennessee Smoke Free
Association. “We are also very encouraged by the confirmation that using vapor products does
not typically lead to smoking traditional tobacco products. Many of our association members–
myself included–are former cigarette smokers who have kicked the habit completely by
responsibly using vapor products.”

In the first study 1 , researchers in the UK analyzed the results of the 2014-2017 US National
Youth Tobacco Survey, and concluded that less than 1% of US adolescents who use e-
cigarettes first became established cigarette smokers. Additionally, the annual Monitoring the
Future study 2 showed that teen smoking rates continue to fall–by 21 percent in 2018, and 25
percent in 2019.

1 https://tobaccocontrol.bmj.com/content/early/2020/02/19/tobaccocontrol-2019-055283
2 https://www.drugabuse.gov/related-topics/trends-statistics/monitoring-future

“The Tennessee Smoke Free Association continues to support regulations that prohibit teens
from smoking or vaping. We do not market to teens or initiate vape use to non-smokers. We
fully support strong regulations like limiting tobacco sales to those 21 and up, and harsher
punishments for anyone caught selling nicotine-containing or illegal vape products to minors,”
said Agrafiotis. “But we will continue to fight for responsible adults who use vaping as a way to
kick the harmful and deadly habit of smoking.”

The Tennessee Smoke Free Association is consumer advocacy.