New Data From CDC: Cigarette Smoking Among U.S. High School Students at an All-Time Low, But E-Cigarette Use a Concern
From the Centers For Disease Control:
Cigarette smoking among high school students dropped to the lowest levels since the National Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) began in 1991, but the use of electronic vapor products, including e-cigarettes, among students poses new challenges according to the 2015 survey results released today by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Although current cigarette use decreased significantly from 28 percent in 1991 to 11 percent in 2015, new data from the 2015 survey found that 24 percent of high school students reported using e-cigarettes during the past 30 days.
More Findings from National Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS)
The YRBS provides important data related to student behaviors, such as behaviors that contribute to unintentional injuries and violence.
The 2015 survey findings indicated that youth continue to be at risk by using wireless devices while driving:
- Among high school students who had driven a car or other vehicle during the past 30 days, the percentage of high school students who texted or e-mailed while driving ranged from 26 percent to 63 percent across 35 states and from 14 percent to 39 percent across 18 large urban school districts.
- Nationwide, 42 percent of students who had driven a car or other vehicle during the past 30 days reported texting or e-mailing while driving. This percentage did not change from 2013.
The 2015 survey findings showed encouraging reductions in physical fighting among adolescents.
- The percentage of high school students nationwide who had been in a physical fight at least once during the past 12 months decreased from 42 percent in 1991 to 23 percent in 2015.
However, nationwide, the percentage of students who had not gone to school because of safety concerns is still high.
- Six percent of students missed at least 1 day of school during the past 30 days because they felt they would be unsafe at school or on their way to or from school. The percentage of students not going to school because of safety concerns decreased from 2013 (7 percent) to 2015 (6 percent).
Direct to Complete News Release/Summary
Direct to All National Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) Data, Online Analysis Tool, etc.
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About Gary Price
Gary Price (gprice@gmail.com) is a librarian, writer, consultant, and frequent conference speaker based in the Washington D.C. metro area. He earned his MLIS degree from Wayne State University in Detroit. Price has won several awards including the SLA Innovations in Technology Award and Alumnus of the Year from the Wayne St. University Library and Information Science Program. From 2006-2009 he was Director of Online Information Services at Ask.com.