Youth Risk Behavior Survey: vaping declines but nicotine pouches and smokeless tobacco raise concerns

Abby Lang, the Health Promotion Director at Fargo Cass Public Health, presented 2025 Youth Risk Behavior Survey findings for North Dakota and discussed what they mean for local prevention work. "Now in 2025, we've seen that number decrease a little bit to 31% saying that they have ever used, and 5% saying they have used daily," Lang said when summarizing high-school e-cigarette trends.

Lang flagged a rise in smokeless tobacco (from about 3% to 7% in two years in the state sample) and described nicotine pouches as a growing concern because manufacturers market some as "tobacco free" while many pouches contain substantial nicotine. She explained pouches are easy to conceal, are not detected by common school vape detectors, and sometimes carry higher nicotine per unit than historical tobacco products. Board members asked about nicotine concentrations and whether state or local packaging rules are effective; staff said FDA guidance encouraged child-resistant packaging but many nonauthorized products fall outside that compliance.