Youth

The earlier young people begin using tobacco products, the more likely they are to use them as adults and the longer they remain users (Institute of Medicine, 2015). One of the four goals the Wyoming Tobacco Prevention and Control Program (TPCP) shares with the federal tobacco prevention and control program is to reduce youth initiation of tobacco use. Limiting youth access to tobacco products may help reduce youth initiation of tobacco use (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2014).

The use of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS; also known as electronic cigarettes, e-cigarettes, e-cigs, vape-pens, JUUL, and other names) has increased in recent years (Abassi, 2016). Current youth use of ENDS nearly tripled between 2013 (4.5%) and 2014 (13.4%; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2015b). In Wyoming, 30% of high school students were current ENDS users in 2015 (Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System [YRBSS], 2015), and, in 2017, 24% of adults had tried ENDS (WYSAC, 2018).

The Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) is a national school-based survey conducted by CDC and state, territorial, tribal, and local surveys conducted by state, territorial, and local education and health agencies and tribal governments. It monitors six types of health-risk behaviors:  Behaviors that contribute to unintentional injuries and violence Sexual behaviors related to unintended pregnancy […]

The Prevention Needs Assessment (PNA) is a biannual survey of Wyoming 6th, 8th, 10th, and 12th graders. It measures attitudes, beliefs, and perceptions related to alcohol, tobacco, drug use, and problem behaviors.  https://www.pnasurvey.org/