Smoking is the leading preventable cause of disease and disability in the United States

Youth Access to Tobacco Products

The CDC found that the younger a person is when he or she starts to smoke, the more difficult it is to quit. About 90% of adult smokers began smoking before the age of eighteen.

Both the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the U.S. Surgeon General have warned that flavored tobacco products, such as electronic smoking devices (e.g., e cigarettes and vapes), little cigars, and cigarillos, help new users establish habits that can lead to long-term addiction.

Until the age of twenty-five, nicotine can negatively change an adolescent’s brain, harming cell activities that control attention span, learning, and memory. Nicotine is also highly addictive. The amount of nicotine in e-cigarettes varies greatly between products and is often not labeled clearly. Youth may not be aware that one pod of a popular e cigarette device may contain as much nicotine as an entire pack of regular cigarettes.

More than 80% of youth who have ever used a tobacco product reported that their first product was flavored. Sweet flavors, such as watermelon, cherry, chocolate, mint, and gummy bear, appeal to youth. Flavorings mask the harsh taste of tobacco, making it easier for youth to initiate tobacco use.