The Tobacco Action Coalition of the Finger Lakes is raising concerns over new state data showing that more young people in New York are open to trying cigarettes.
The coalition highlighted a recent report from the New York State Department of Health that found youth openness to cigarette smoking reached its highest recorded level in 2024. The report is based on data collected through the New York Youth Tobacco Survey between 2000 and 2024.
According to the report, about one in five middle and high school students in New York who have never smoked said they may be open to smoking in the future.
Health officials say that openness to smoking is considered an early warning sign for future tobacco use.
“Maintaining the state’s strong, comprehensive Tobacco Control Program … is essential to counter the influence of tobacco industry marketing and reinforce smoke-free norms,” said Gina O’Sullivan with the State Department of Health’s Bureau of Tobacco Control.
The coalition says concerns are growing as e-cigarettes remain the most commonly used tobacco product among youth. Federal health officials have previously reported that teens who vape are significantly more likely to later smoke traditional cigarettes.
The issue has drawn additional attention following a recent decision by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to authorize certain fruit-flavored e-cigarettes for adult smokers. It marked the first time the FDA approved flavored vaping products other than tobacco or menthol varieties.
Local tobacco-free advocates say they remain skeptical that those products will stay out of the hands of teenagers.
“We know there are chemicals and ingredients in e-cigarettes that are harmful to human health,” said Tobacco Action Coalition of the Finger Lakes Director Hannah Lee. Lee also said flavored products can make it easier for young people to begin vaping and harder to quit.
The coalition partners with schools and youth groups through New York State’s Reality Check program, which encourages teens to push back against tobacco industry marketing tactics.
The Tobacco Action Coalition of the Finger Lakes works with communities in Ontario, Seneca, Wayne, and Yates counties to promote tobacco-free lifestyles and youth education efforts.
