Many Young Americans Still Smoking Tobacco and Cannabis, Study Shows

Key TakeawaysAbout 1 in 7 youth and young adults surveyed use multiple nicotine and cannabis products Smoking tobacco and cannabis was the most common and risky form of useHealth risks rise along with use of multiple products, researchers said .WEDNESDAY, Dec. 10, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Many young Americans are still smoking nicotine, tobacco or cannabis, even as edibles and vapes continue to grow in popularity.A University of Michigan study looked at how 12- to 34-year-olds are using these substances today. Researchers examined data from 8,722 individuals who had used at least one of these products within the last 30 days.On average, users tried about two products during that time, and researchers identified six main patterns of use:Combustible tobacco: 31%Multiple forms of cannabis: 27%Vaping nicotine: 18%Using multiple forms of nicotine, tobacco and cannabis: 14%Cannabis edibles only: 5%Multiple forms of nicotine and tobacco: 5%The largest group, and still the most concerning, were people who smoked tobacco, researchers said."This is really important because there are known harms associated with using combustible products, especially combustible tobacco," lead investigator Rebecca Evans-Polce said in a news release. She’s a research associate professor of nursing at the university."Among those that used, combustible tobacco use and cannabis smoking remain some of the most predominant forms of use. And about 1 in 7 were using combustible tobacco and combustible cannabis," she said. "While cigarette use continues to decline overall, which is great, this shows this is still an important public health issue and we need to continue to put resources to smoking cessation efforts for young people."Researchers warned that people using multiple products could be at even higher risk."We know that using multiple types exposes you to higher levels of carcinogens and toxins and can make it much harder to quit using," Evans-Polce added.One change researchers noticed: The gap between men and women is narrowing."This fits with this trend and suggests that females are now at just as high a risk for high risk patterns of cannabis and tobacco use as males," she said.Certain groups showed higher smoking rates, including Black and African American youth and young men. Researchers say these groups may benefit from targeted prevention and smoking cessation programs.Evans-Polce said tracking these trends will remain important."It is important to know what types of products are being used, especially among youth, so that our interventions are addressing these latest trends and are relevant to young people," she added. The study — published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine — was funded by the National Cancer Institute and the National Institutes of Health.More informationThe U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more on youth tobacco use.SOURCE: University of Michigan, news release, Dec. 8, 2025.What This Means For YouThis study suggests it may help to check in with young people regularly about substance use, especially since many products are being used together..Sign up for our weekly HealthDay newsletter