Lung Association Reacts to New ‘Monitoring the Future’ Report: Data Shows Urgent Need to Better Prevent Nicotine Pouch Use and Vaping in Teens

In response to the 2025 Monitoring the Future survey data released yesterday by the National Institute on Drug Abuse at the National Institutes of Health, American Lung Association President and CEO Harold Wimmer released the following statement:  

“The American Lung Association is extremely concerned by the sharp increase in youth use of nicotine pouches reported in the 2025 Monitoring the Future survey. The survey shows that the percentage of high school seniors who currently use nicotine pouches rose from 1.4% in 2023 to 4.4% in 2025. The survey also revealed that 15.7% of high school seniors reported vaping in the past year.

“No level of nicotine use is safe. Nicotine interferes with adolescent brain development, impairs learning and memory and rewires the brain for dependence. While the short- and long-term impacts of nicotine pouches are still being studied, we know that smokeless tobacco products used in similar ways have been linked to cancers and serious dental problems, underscoring the danger. 

“This potential rise in youth tobacco use is unacceptable, and leaders must take action now. The American Lung Association calls on state and local governments to pass comprehensive policies to prevent youth tobacco use, including ending the sale of all flavored tobacco products. We also call on the federal government to restore CDC’s Office on Smoking and Health to ensure the federal government can take strong action to protect kids from tobacco and nicotine.”

The Lung Association has many resources to prevent youth tobacco use and help them quit. Specifically, there are educational resources designed for schools, parents and teens, including TalkAboutVaping, our Vape-Free Schools Initiative, Not On Tobacco, and more resources available online.