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Missouri has more teen smokers than most of the U.S. But Kansas City made some progress

The use of electronic cigarettes or "vaping" has contributed to much of Missouri's relatively high teen smoking rate.
Elaine Thompson
/
AP
The use of electronic cigarettes or "vaping" has contributed to much of Missouri's relatively high teen smoking rate.

Missouri ranks 10th in the country for high school smoking. However, rates are trending down and a variety of accessible programs are helping the Kansas City metro stay below state levels.

More than 5% of high school students in Missouri smoke, according to the most recent data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. But in Clay, Platte and Jackson counties, rates over the last four years are improving.

Missouri had nearly eliminated teen smoking in 2010, when statewide rates were below 2% according to Missouri Student Survey data. But an increase in the popularity of e-cigarettes led to a dramatic spike in rates starting in 2016 and peaking in 2018. Since 2020, the metro area has made strides to keep rates below state levels.

The Missouri Student Survey considers tobacco use (smoking as well as chewing) and vaping in its statistics. Statewide, those rates among middle and high school students for 2024 are 2.2% and 9.1% respectively.

In counties on the Missouri side of the metro, those numbers are lower: 1.7% report tobacco use and 7.6% say they are vaping in Jackson County; 1.3% and 4.7% in Clay County; and 1.1% and 3.6% in Platte County.

Sara Prem, director of advocacy for the American Lung Association in Kansas City, said students have a range of readily available help for quitting.

“You can quit online with an online support group, you can use phone support, you can do text-to-quit,” Prem said. “Those resources are available to you 24/7 as opposed to, ‘Oh, it's 5 o'clock on Tuesday, I gotta go to my meeting.’”

Missouri has the country’s lowest tax rate on cigarettes, at 17 cents per pack of 20, one of the main drivers of the state’s long-standing issues with teen smoking, Prem said. A bill up for consideration this year in Jefferson City would raise the tax to 27 cents.

Another factor is the lack of a statewide law requiring people purchasing tobacco to be at least 21 years old. Many municipalities, including Kansas City, Independence and Lee’s Summit, have Tobacco21 ordinances. But there are still pockets where people can buy at a younger age, said Laura Bruce, prevention manager at Beacon Mental Health.

In addition to a statewide ordinance, Bruce said banning flavored nicotine and tobacco products would go a long way. She said kids are often attracted to these products because they taste good. The Kansas City Council has considered passing such a ban on multiple occasions, including last year, but ultimately has decided against it.

Even without these ordinances, Bruce said cessation and prevention experts in the metro are finding ways to tackle the issue. She credits much of the progress to education efforts in the classroom.

“If you aren't vaping, if you aren't using any nicotine products, that's what most of the kids are doing in your school,” Bruce said. “So just stand firm in that.”

They are also working alongside some store clerks to put popular products away from the front of displays and limit discounted products.

Ultimately, Bruce’s goal is to limit substance use in the teen years. What adults do is up to them, Bruce said, but 90% of adults with a substance use disorder reported using drugs or alcohol before they turned 18.

For people who want quit, one of the most accessible options is the state quitline: 1-800-QUIT-NOW in Kansas and Missouri.

Staying mentally and physically healthy can be a lot of work — exercising, eating right and navigating our complicated medical system. As KCUR’s health and wellness reporter, I want to connect Kansas Citians with new and existing resources to improve their well-being and tell stories that inspire them to enjoy healthier lives.

Reach me at noahtaborda@kcur.org.
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