Federal Data Show Encouraging Youth Substance Use Trends, While Underscoring Need for Continued Progress and Action in Areas of Concern

Statement from Kathy Crosby, CEO and President of Truth Initiative

WASHINGTON, Dec. 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- New data from the 2025 Monitoring the Future Survey indicating use of most drugs remains low among U.S. teens and the number of youth choosing to abstain from products like tobacco, alcohol and cannabis, remaining at all-time highs give us reason to be encouraged. However, there are still many young people using these substances at formative times in their lives. Recognizing that the choices they make now can shape their futures, we must do everything we can to drive down youth use even further. 

When it comes to nicotine use specifically, important concerns remain. Despite recent progress in reducing youth nicotine vaping, the latest survey indicates that use has remained flat — underscoring the need for stronger enforcement against popular illegal products and continued access to quit resources such as Truth Initiative's EX Program to make further inroads. 

E-cigarettes today are cheaper in price, have higher nicotine concentrations, and are more accessible than ever. Over time, these products have become more than 500% bigger in size, nearly 300% stronger, and about 70% cheaper. Some "smart" vapes even feature screens that play games like Pac-Man and Tetris. Virtually all of these products lack authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, meaning they are on the market illegally.

Federal officials have promised to crack down on the flood of illegal products streaming into the U.S. and harming young people, but it's clear that more must be done to cut off access to youth-appealing products and hold retailers accountable for pull them their shelves.

Another area that warrants close watch is past 30-day use of any nicotine product among 12th graders, which increased from 17% to 21.8%. It's critical we work to understand the reason for this increase, particularly as it relates to use of multiple nicotine products at the same time, known as polyuse.

While oral nicotine pouch use remains stable among youth in this survey, trends in use over the past several years should be monitored closely. Sales of oral nicotine pouches, which offer a new avenue for uptake of flavored nicotine, are rising – with a 250% increase in total monthly sales between January 2023 and August 2025.

Youth use of any addictive substances including nicotine should worry parents and policymakers. In particular, nicotine can harm developing brains and its use during adolescence can disrupt the circuits that control attention and learning. Addiction to nicotine can also amplify feelings of anxiety, depression, and stress—a particular concern for youth already struggling with mental health issues. There's also clear evidence that nicotine use by young people may put them at higher risk for addiction to other substances like cannabis and could open them up to riskier behaviors in the future.

Together, these findings make it clear that enforcement and prevention alone are not enough—we must also provide young people with the tools and support they need to quit. That's why Truth Initiative offers EX Program, an evidence-based, comprehensive platform designed to help young people overcome nicotine addiction through personalized, accessible support.

Since its launch in 2008, EX Program has helped millions of people develop the skills and confidence to quit through free, science-backed resources, including personalized quit plans, interactive text messages, 24/7 access to the most established online quit community, and engaging digital tools that meet users wherever they are – on their phones, online, and on social media.

The program has been proven effective in the first randomized clinical trials of nicotine vaping cessation among adolescents and young adults, increasing the odds of quitting by up to 40% compared to a control group. More recently, a new study revealed that the program can help young people quit both nicotine and cannabis.

Teens and young adults can text EXPROGRAM to 88709 or visit exprogram.com to receive free quit support.

Increased abstinence of various substances and flattening of nicotine use among most youth in recent years demonstrates that progress is possible with collective action, but we cannot stop here – especially as young people continue to initiate nicotine use in older adolescence and young adulthood. We must double down on efforts to keep these trends moving in the right direction and ensure that every young person who is struggling has access to the support and resources they need. Together, we can protect this momentum and help all youth have the chance to choose health and a brighter future.

SOURCE Truth Initiative