In a single year, FDA educational efforts prevented about 450,000 young people from beginning to use e-cigarettes
According to a research co-authored by scientists from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the agency's youth e-cigarette prevention campaign, "The Real Cost," was successful in lowering youth e-cigarette use. An estimated 444,252 American youths (ages 11 to 17 at study recruitment) were prevented from beginning to use e-cigarettes between 2023 and 2024 by the campaign, which was started in 2018 on President Trump's direction.
The latest study The American Journal of Preventive Medicine, a peer-reviewed scientific journal, issued a study titled "External Link Disclaimer" that showed evidence of the campaign's role in the over 70% decrease in e-cigarette usage among teens in the United States since 2019. The number of middle and high school children in the United States who currently use e-cigarettes has decreased from 5.38 million in 2019 to 1.63 million in 2024, the lowest level in ten years, according to the National Youth Tobacco Survey.
According to the evaluation's data, which tracked a nationally representative sample of American teenagers across time, watching advertisements from "The Real Cost" reduced the likelihood that young people who had never used e-cigarettes will start using them in the future. Among other things, the poll gathered data on which young people tried e-cigarettes and how often they were exposed to the "The Real Cost" campaign.
These findings support earlier research demonstrating that exposure to the "The Real Cost" campaign lowers lifetime risks of tobacco-related illness and mortality, including from chronic disease, making it an economical strategy. According to a prior studyExternal Link Disclaimer that assessed "The Real Cost" adolescents Cigarette Prevention Campaign, over a three-year period, the initiative saved up to 587,000 American adolescents from starting to smoke, half of whom may have gone on to become regular adult cigarette users. In its first two years, the cigarette prevention program was also shown to save $180 for every dollar invested, resulting in a reduction of over $53 billion in smoking-related expenses, such as premature death, expensive medical care, lost income, decreased productivity, and increased disability.
No tobacco product is safe. People who don't use tobacco products already, especially young people, shouldn't start. Additionally, adults who choose to stop smoking can use FDA-approved drugs that are both safe and effective. Adult smokers should also be aware that there is a range of health risks associated with various tobacco products, with cigarettes and other smoked goods being the most dangerous. Adults can typically lessen their health risks and exposure to harmful and cancer-causing chemicals by completely switching from cigarettes to a lower-risk alternative tobacco product.
“The Real Cost” The Youth E-cigarette Prevention Campaign targets young people with a range of marketing strategies and innovative advertising. Ads and preventive materials are disseminated through teen-relevant communication channels, including as social media, gaming platforms, and digital and streaming platforms. A key component of the agency's plan to lessen and stop teenage tobacco usage is these educational initiatives. In order to hold individuals who manufacture, distribute, or sell unlawful tobacco products responsible to the law, the agency also carries out compliance and enforcement operations throughout the supply chain, coordinating with federal partners and utilizing their distinct capabilities. Tobacco user fees, which are levied against producers and importers of specific tobacco product classes, provide all of the funding for the FDA's Center for Tobacco Products.
Learn more: FDA Educational Efforts Prevented Nearly 450,000 Youth from Starting E-Cigarette Use in One Year | FDA
