MINNEAPOLIS, Minn — 2020 was a stressful year for students, so it got us wondering if more teens picked up bad habits like vaping while they were stuck at home.
Here's a look at some of the numbers from the FDA and CDC from the 2020 National Youth Tobacco Survey, showing some really promising results.
The study found there were 1.8 million fewer users when it comes to e-cigarette use among the youth.
That's huge! But don't let that number fool you.
E-cigarette use has increased dramatically since 2011, and 3.6 million teens are still using right now.
Nearly 40% of high school users are vaping more than 20 days out of the month and almost a quarter of them use e-cigarettes every day.
This is cause for concern because it shows teens have a dependence on nicotine.
So we still have a big problem, but as the famed TikTok Doc Dr. Rose Marie Leslie from the University of Minnesota says, with any problem there is a solution.
"I know people who have smoked or who are vaping, they've heard before... you need to quit you got to stop... that can make it hard for people to reach out and get help and so having free confidential resources people can use from home is so important," said Dr. Leslie.
Dr. Leslie has teamed up with the Minnesota Department of Health to use her platform on TikTok to spread awareness about the dangers of vaping and the negative impacts nicotine has on the youth.
Her latest TikTok video on the matter highlights My Life, My Quit™, which is a free and confidential way to quit smoking or vaping. All teens have to do is text "Start My Quit" to 36072 or go to www.quitpartnermn.com for more information.
According to the site, teens who start by vaping are four times more likely to smoke cigarettes or use other forms of tobacco. Almost 90% of adults who use nicotine today started as teens.
Here's a look at the most recent youth vaping stats from Minnesota.
Watch on extended interview with Dr. Leslie below: