Youth smoking soared in 2018 and the government blames e-cigarettes

By John Gage

Published February 11, 2019 6:46pm ET

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Youth smoking soared in 2018 and the government blames e-cigarettes — A person smokes a Juul Labs Inc. e-cigarette in this arranged photograph taken in the Brooklyn Borough of New York, U.S., on Thursday, Dec. 20, 2018. Altria Group's plan to take a $12.8 billionÂ stakeÂ in Juul Labs could be destroying value, Citigroup analysts write in a note downgrading the stock to a sell from neutral. | (Gabby Jones/Bloomberg)

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Monday that tobacco use among middle and high school students had soared by over 30 percent, an increase the agency blamed on the ongoing rise of e-cigarettes.

“The skyrocketing growth of young people’s e-cigarette use over the past year threatens to erase progress made in reducing youth tobacco use,” warned CDC Director Robert Redfield. “It’s putting a new generation at risk for nicotine addiction.”

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FDA Health Smoking and Tobacco