SHREVEPORT, La. ( KTAL/KMSS ) – A new study has listed the top states with the highest rates of teen smokers.

Vape manufacturer Yocan Vaporizer conducted the study, which utilized recent data concerning tobacco use among high school students. They were able to determine which states have the highest rate of teen smokers.

Using information from the American Lung Association and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data, data was gauged for each state using information from 2019 to 2022.

“Smokers” in the study were identified as teens who smoked cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, cigars, or electronic vapor products on at least one day during the previous 30 days.

The study found that teens in Louisiana have the fourth-highest rate of tobacco us in the nation’s high schools. More than ¼ of teens are now using tobacco products in the Bayou State.

That’s more than 7% higher than the national average.

Louisiana also has the third-highest e-cigarette usage in the nation.

It was also found that 33.7% of Alaskan teens use tobacco products as of 2019. West Virginia, Montana, and New Mexico rounded out the top five.

States with the highest rate of high school tobacco usage:

Louis Lou of Yocan Vaporizer said that the findings from the study revealed significant areas of concern for adolescent smoking in the United States.

” Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of preventable disease, disability, and death in the US,” said Lou. “Annually, smoking causes over 480,000 deaths, accounting for approximately one in every five deaths.”

Lou said it’s noteworthy that adolescents are using e-cigarettes, which were initially designed to help with smoking cessation.

“This trend highlights a troubling pattern wherein teenagers are adopting vaping without prior cigarette smoking experience.”

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