As Mississippi students return to classrooms, health officials are reminding parents to have open conversations with their children about the dangers of tobacco use.
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 90% of adults who smoke picked up the habit before turning 18. With youth spending more time around peers during the school year, they are more likely to try cigarettes and vaping if they see their classmates doing the same. Experts say parental involvement and participation in athletics can significantly reduce this risk.
Despite decades of warnings, tobacco use remains the leading preventable cause of death and disease in the U.S. In Mississippi, about 5,400 adults die each year from smoking-related illnesses, while 192,000 children are exposed to secondhand smoke. In 2024, 10% of high school students and 5.4% of middle schoolers in Mississippi reported using some form of tobacco, with e-cigarettes leading the way.
The rise in youth vaping has been especially concerning to health officials as nicotine can harm the developing brain, affecting memory, learning, and attention. Flavored products make these devices even more appealing to teens.
This concern is part of the reason Mississippi is tightening regulations. A new state law taking effect on Oct. 1, will restrict sales of vaping products to only those that have been authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Retailers will have 60 days to remove any products not listed in the state’s approved directory. After that period, unauthorized vape products will no longer be legal for sale in Mississippi.
The law’s goal is to reduce the availability of unregulated vaping products – many of which are popular among young people – which aligns with the state’s federal standards.
Parents are encouraged to use both the new school year and the upcoming law as an opportunity to talk with their children about avoiding tobacco and vaping. For those already struggling with nicotine use, the Mississippi State Department of Health encourages people to utilize its Mississippi Tobacco Quitline at (800) 784-8669 or by clicking here.
“Our advice: If you don’t use tobacco, don’t start. But if you already smoke, vape, or dip, let us help you quit. Your health depends on it,” the MSDH noted in a press release.
