Louisiana ranks 48th in high school e-cigarette use. See data. | Louisiana Health

Electronic vapor products (also known as e-cigarettes, vapes, or vape pens) have been the most commonly used tobacco product among high school-aged students over the past 10 years.

The aerosol produced when smoking e-cigarettes contains toxic substances that can cause cancer and lung disease, according to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention.

Nicotine affects brain development in children and adolescents – several studies have found that e-cigarette use in adolescence is a strong predictor of cigarette use later in life.

In Louisiana, the average prevalence of high school students reporting e-cigarette use in 2021 was 25.5% – That makes it the third-highest usage rate among the 50 states.

The average prevalence of e-cigarette use among high school students in the United States is 18.03%, which translated means approximately 3 million Students across the country are actively using e-cigarettes.

West Virginia had the highest high school e-cigarette use rate in the United States in 2021 27.5% of students reporting consumption within 30 days, followed by Alaska (26.1%), Montana And Louisiana (both around 25.5%) And New Mexico (25.4%).

California (5.6%) And Utah (9.7%) had the lowest prevalence of high school students reporting e-cigarette use, followed by Connecticut (10.6%), Minnesota (13.9%) And Michigan (14.0%).

According to America’s Health Rankings, e-cigarette use among high school students in the United States has declined alarmingly 32.7% In 2019 to the national average of 18.03% In 2021.

However, in Louisiana, e-cigarette use among high school students was at an all-time low in 2019 22.9% and in 2021 it rose 25.5%.

According to the CDC, the decline in e-cigarette use among high school students in other states is likely due to several factors, including ongoing efforts at the national, state and local levels to implement tobacco control strategies, including regulatory actions by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration . Despite the decline in e-cigarette use among high school students, nearly 40% of high school students reported using e-cigarettes frequently and 29.9% reported using them daily.

In the American Lung Association data, e-cigarette use was defined as using the product on at least one day in the 30 days prior to the survey.