Source: FDA, 1/27/17

Initial data on adult and youth tobacco use from the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, showed that more than a quarter of American adults were current users of tobacco in 2013–14 and roughly 9 percent of youth reported using tobacco in the past 30 days. Multiple product use was common among tobacco users, with cigarettes and e-cigarettes being the most common combination among both adults and youth.

The PATH Study aims to assess and monitor patterns in tobacco use behavior and changes in attitudes toward tobacco products over time. As the PATH Study progresses and longitudinal data are collected, the researchers expect to identify factors that are associated with initiating tobacco use, quitting tobacco, switching among different tobacco products, and using multiple tobacco products, as well as the health implications of these different behaviors. Such information can help inform the FDA’s regulatory actions related to tobacco products, as well as the broader scientific community.

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