Survey: 18 percent of Alaska high schoolers use e-cigarettes

A new survey of Alaska high school students has found e-cigarette use higher than the national average. The results of the Youth Risk Behavior Survey, which included questions about e-cigarettes for the first time in 2015, were published Monday by the Alaska Section of Epidemiology.

Past studies have examined e-cigarette use among Alaskan adults, but the youth risk survey was the first to focus on students in grades 9-12.

According to the survey, 18 percent of high school students reported using an e-cigarette or other nicotine vaporizer in the previous 30 days. That figure represented more than half of all “tobacco product” use among high school students, the survey found. Thirty-one percent of Alaska high school students had used some type of tobacco product — traditional cigarette, cigar, chewing tobacco — in the previous 30 days (the benchmark for current use).

Nationally, according to figures from the Centers for Disease Control, 14 percent of high school students are using e-cigarettes.

In Alaska, e-cigarette use was higher among high school boys (20 percent) than girls (15 percent), and higher among whites (18 percent) and hispanics (34 percent) than Natives (14 percent).

While the health effects of e-cigarette use have not been studied in depth, public health officials worry that e-cigarettes might promote nicotine addiction and serve as a gateway to traditional tobacco use.

The survey included the responses of 1,418 students at 41 schools across the state. The schools were not identified.

Read the report at www.epi.alaska.gov/bulletins/docs/b2016_01.pdf.

More in News

The Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Encore docks in Juneau in October, 2022. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire File)
Ships in Port for the Week of June 4

Here’s what to expect this week.

(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)
Police calls for Monday, June 5, 2023

This report contains information from law enforcement and public safety agencies.

Water and wastewater rates in the City and Borough of Juneau will increase 2% starting July 1. (Clarise Larson/ Juneau Empire File)
Water, wastewater rates to increase starting July 1

The 2% increase is to match inflationary costs, city says.

A progress pride flag flies in the wind below an U.S. flag outside of the Hurff Ackerman Saunders Federal Building on Monday evening. Last week the flag was raised for the first time by members of the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration and will remain up through the month of June. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
LGBTQ+ pride flag raised at federal building sparks backlash, support

Varying reactions to the flag that was raised for the first time outside the building.

Cars and people move past the City and Borough of Juneau current City Hall downtown on Monday. The Assembly Committee of the Whole unanimously OK’d an ordinance Monday night that, if passed by the full Assembly, would again ask Juneau voters during the upcoming municipal election whether to approve $27 million in bond debt to fund the construction of a new City Hall. (Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire)
Voters could see proposal for a new City Hall back on the ballot this fall

City signals support for $27 million initiative, after $35M bond last year fails.

(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)
Police calls for Sunday, June 4, 2023

This report contains information from law enforcement and public safety agencies.

(Michael Penn / Juneau Empire File)
Police calls for Saturday, June 3, 2023

This report contains information from law enforcement and public safety agencies.

Courtesy Photo / Chris Blake
The <strong>Hōkūleʻa</strong>, a double-hulled and wind-powered traditional Polynesian voyaging canoe, navigates throughout Southeast Alaska in May. On Saturday the canoe and crew members will be welcomed to Juneau in preparation for the canoes launch days later for its four-year-long global canoe voyage called the <strong>Moananuiākea</strong>.
Celebration of four-year Polynesian canoe voyage to kick off Saturday at Auke Bay

Voyage set to circumnavigate 43,000 nautical miles of the Pacific Ocean beginning in Juneau.

Most Read