The Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) announced that Chicago’s teen youth smoking rate has hit another all-time low, according to a new Healthy Chicago report. In 2017, only six percent of Chicago high school students reported smoking cigarettes. That number is both a new historic low and nearly 60 percent below 2011 figures, when 13.6 percent of teens reported smoking cigarettes. Additionally, data from CDPH’s annual Healthy Chicago survey show a sharp decline in use of both cigarettes and electronic cigarettes among 18-20 year-old residents between 2015 and 2016, from 15.2 percent to 9.7 percent. This decline follows the implementation of Chicago’s Tobacco 21 law. Introduced by Mayor Emanuel and passed by the Chicago City Council, Tobacco 21 raised the age for purchasing tobacco within city limits to 21 from 18. “We have made real progress, but there is still more work to do,” said CDPH Commissioner Julie Morita. “By working with community partners, parents and students, we will continue to drive these numbers down so every child has the opportunity to become a healthy, tobacco-free adult.”

Previously, CDPH and its partners had set a goal of reducing youth smoking by 10 percent by 2020. With today’s report, that goal has already been exceeded more than two years ahead of schedule. Even with this progress, challenges remain. In addition to cigarettes, teens also reported using cigars (7.2%) and smokeless tobacco (4.5%). The report for the first time provides data on e-cig use among youth (6.6%). Tobacco use in any form by youth can be harmful and may lead to nicotine addiction among other serious health consequences. “We know that almost all tobacco use begins in youth and young adulthood which is why policies like Tobacco 21 are so important,” said, Joel Africk, President and Chief Executive Officer, Respiratory Health Association, Healthy Chicago’s community co-leader for tobacco control. “Chicago continues to lead the fight against tobacco. We’re encouraged by the data, it demonstrates that our collective efforts are successful in building a tobacco-free generation.” To learn more about how we ensure that the next generation is tobacco-free, please visit the Truth Initiative’s website at www.truthinitiative.org.