Oklahoma teens are vaping at higher rates than peers nationally

High school students in Oklahoma are vaping more than their peers in other states.

Though, the number of Oklahoma teenagers vaping is falling. In 2019, about 27% of high school students vaped in Oklahoma, while in 2021, that percentage fell to around 21%. Nationally, 14.1% of students used e-cigarettes, about2.5 million teenagers.

According to arecent study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, youth and young adults are more likely to vape than adults. About 10% ofall Oklahomans use e-cigarettes.

To help discourage teenagers from vaping, the FDA began apolicy that prioritized enforcement of fruit and mint flavors. The agency said the flavors appeal to children.

Flavored disposable vapes are most common among middle and high school students who engage in e-cigarette uses according to the CDC study.

The Oklahoma Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust has several programs aimed at helping teens stop tobacco use. TheTSET Healthy Youth Initiative works to prevent and reduce tobacco use and obesity for Oklahomans ages 13-18.

My Life, My Quit is a free program specifically for teens ages 13-17, offering resources to quit tobacco and e-cigarette use. The program includes live textings, web chatting and phone calls that guide teens through the steps of quitting tobacco.

This report was produced by the Oklahoma Public Media Exchange, a collaboration of public media organizations. Help support collaborative journalism by donating at the link at the top of this webpage.

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