Meet the next generation of addictive tobacco products
Electronic cigarettes, little cigars, smokeless products, sweet candy flavors, and new products designed to hide addiction in plain sight. The next generation of dangerous and deceptive tobacco products is here and doesn’t look anything like a pack of cigarettes.
Tobacco is developing new products and tactics so fast, it’s tough for parents to recognize tobacco when they see it, and even tougher to talk to your kids about the terrible damage tobacco products can do. But that can change right here. It has to. Because the tobacco industry has already found ways to get around restrictions that banned a few flavored tobacco products and made it illegal to sell tobacco to anyone under 21. Tobacco is changing, faster than ever, parents. Let us help you keep up.
Share these Fast Facts about tobacco
Our teens are stressed.
Nicotine makes it worse.
The stress Missouri teens feel is real. Around 70% of teens say mental health issues like anxiety and depression are a major problem for young people their age. They’re struggling to cope—and often turn to vapes and other addictive nicotine products that pretend to be “stress relievers” for help. That’s a real problem, because studies shows that nicotine can actually make anxiety and depression worse. When teens vape, they stress more—so they vape more. It’s a dangerous loop that damages their mental health and can leave our kids with a lifelong addiction.
Take the next step
Get to know the new face of tobacco. Being informed, and getting involved, can help your kids stay healthy and tobacco-free.
Resources for Educators
School plays a huge role in young people’s lives, and that means teachers can have a huge impact on underage tobacco use. Find tips and tools for talking to students, updating your school’s tobacco policies, cessation policies, and more.
The costs of menthol
Research shows the minty-flavor of menthol makes tobacco more appealing to youth, easier to use, and tougher to quit. It’s also one of the main tactics the tobacco industry has historically used to target young people and communities of color.
- Federal Trade Commission. “FTC Releases Reports on Cigarette and Smokeless Tobacco Sales and Marketing Expenditures for 2021.” January 30, 2023. https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2023/01/ftc-releases-reports-cigarette-smokeless-tobacco-sales-marketing-expenditures-2021
- Back, Laura. Tobacco Free Kids. “Electronic Cigarettes and Youth.” March 20, 2023. www.tobaccofreekids.org/assets/factsheets/0382.pdf
- Youth–Adult Connectedness: A Key Protective Factor for Adolescent
Health”. American Journal of Preventive Medicine
Volume 52, Issue 3, Supplement 3, March 2017, Pages S275-S278 - Wisconsin Department of Health Services. “Tobacco Is Changing.” December 22, 2022. https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/tobaccoischanging/index.htm
- Office on Smoking and Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. “Menthol Smoking and Related Health Disparities” Last reviewed: June 27, 2022. https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/basic_information/menthol/related-health-disparities.html
- Food and Drug Administration. Preliminary Scientific Evaluation of the Possible Public Health Effects of Menthol versus Nonmenthol Cigarettes. www.fda.gov/media/92673/download
- Truth Initiative. Smoking by Region: State Facts. August 2021. https://truthinitiative.org/research-resources/smoking-region/tobacco-use-missouri-2021
- National Cancer Institute. “Harms of Cigarette Smoking and Health Benefits of Quitting.” December 19, 2017. https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/tobacco/
cessation-fact-sheet - Food and Drug Administration. FDA commits Evidence Based Actions aimed saving lives and Preventing Future Generations Smokers. April 29, 2021. https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-commits-evidence-based-actions-aimed-saving-lives-and-preventing-future-generations-smokers
- National Youth Tobacco Survey. November, 2022. https://www.fda.gov/tobacco-products/youth-and-tobacco/results-annual-national-youth-tobacco-survey#:~:text=2022%20Findings%20on%20Youth%20E%2DCigarette%20Use,-In%20October%202022&text=In%202022%2C%20about%201%20in,(past%2030%2Dday).&text=14.1%25%20(2.14%20million)%20of,reported%20current%20e%2Dcigarette%20use.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Youth and Tobacco Use.” November 10, 2022. https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/php/data-statistics/youth-data-tobacco/index.html
- MO Department of Revenue. https://dor.mo.gov/taxation/business/tax-types/tobacco/tax-rates.html
- Missouri Poison Control Center. 2023. https://missouripoisoncenter.org/
- Kamatou GP, Vermaak I, Viljoen AM, Lawrence BM. Menthol: a simple monoterpene with remarkable biological properties. Phytochemistry. 2013;96:15-25. doi:10.1016/j.phytochem.2013.08.005.
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Health Consequences of Smoking—50 Years of Progress: A Report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta, GA: US Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Office on Smoking and Health. 2014.
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Scientific Review of the Effects of Menthol in Cigarettes on Tobacco Addiction: 1980-2021. 2022.
- Tobacco Product Standards. Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. 21 U.S.C. § 387g. 2010 [accessed 2022 May 9].
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- Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. “Bureau of Community Health and Wellness Comprehensive Tobacco Control Program.” August 2013. https://health.mo.gov/living/wellness/tobacco/smokingandtobacco/pdf/FAQ_CIA.pdf
- Anderson SJ. Marketing of Menthol Cigarettes and Consumer Perceptions: A Review of Tobacco Industry Documents. Tob Control. 2011;20 Suppl 2(Suppl_2):ii20–ii28. doi: 10.1136/tc.2010.041939.
- Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Smoking and Tobacco Use: Nicotine Pouches. January 2025. https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/nicotine-pouches/index.html
- U. S. Food and Drug Administration. FDA Authorizes Marketing of 20 ZYN Nicotine Pouch Products after Extensive Scientific Review. January 2025. https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-authorizes-marketing-20-zyn-nicotine-pouch-products-after-extensive-scientific-review
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. FDA Warns Firms Illegally Selling E-Cigarettes Resembling Products With Smart Technology, Including Phones and Gaming Devices. October 2024. https://www.fda.gov/tobacco-products/ctp-newsroom/fda-warns-firms-illegally-selling-e-cigarettes-resembling-products-smart-technology-including-phones#:~:text=%E2%80%9CThese%20products%20may%20resemble%20smart,flagrant%20attempt%20to%20target%20kids.%E2%80%9D
