Nicotine use among youth continues to evolve, and educators across the country are witnessing firsthand how vaping and new nicotine products are affecting students, school climate, and learning. The 2025 report “Educator Perspectives on Nicotine Use in Schools” highlights the growing challenges schools face as nicotine trends shift and intensify.

⸻

Prevalence and Patterns of Use

Vaping has become widespread in both middle and high schools. Many educators report that nicotine use begins as early as sixth grade and reaches its highest levels in ninth and tenth grade. E-cigarettes remain the most commonly used tobacco product among students, but oral nicotine pouches—such as Zyn—are becoming especially popular with older teens and student athletes.

School bathrooms continue to be the primary location where vaping occurs. Teachers and administrators frequently encounter fruity odors, discarded wrappers, and triggered vape detectors, all of which indicate how normalized these behaviors have become on campus.

⸻

Mental Health and Social Factors

Educators overwhelmingly link student vaping to mental and emotional struggles. Many students report vaping to cope with stress, anxiety, and peer pressure, adopting nicotine as a form of self-medication or a way to fit in socially. Signs of nicotine dependence are common, including withdrawal symptoms and students leaving class repeatedly to vape.

⸻

Impact on Learning and School Culture

Nicotine use is taking a measurable toll on academic performance. Frequent vaping breaks contribute to lost instructional time, classroom disruptions, and decreased focus. Students who do not vape are also affected—many feel uncomfortable using bathrooms associated with vaping, and some experience increased pressure to join in.

Educators report rising burnout, not only from addressing academic needs but also from the constant responsibility of monitoring hallways, bathrooms, and outdoor areas for vaping behavior.

⸻

Policy and Enforcement Challenges

Many school policies are outdated and difficult to enforce. Current rules often require proof that a student is in possession of a vaping device, which can be difficult when devices are small, easily concealed, and rapidly changing in design. Policies also frequently fail to address newer nicotine products like pouches.

Vape detectors, once viewed as a potential solution, have proven largely ineffective. They generate frequent false alarms and place additional strain on administrators already stretched thin.

Additionally, most schools have limited prevention programming, with few assemblies, lessons, or targeted interventions that address the health risks of vaping.

⸻

Community-Wide Concerns

Educators emphasize that vaping is not just a school problem—it is a community problem. Youth see vaping normalized outside of school through flavored products, widespread availability, and adult role models who vape themselves. Teachers argue that meaningful change must involve parents, health organizations, policymakers, and local communities—not just school staff.

⸻

Recommendations and Call to Action

Educators strongly support a comprehensive, multi-level approach to reduce youth nicotine use. Their recommendations include:

• Stronger restrictions on flavored e-cigarette sales at federal, state, and local levels

• Increased funding for tobacco prevention programs through agencies like the CDC and HHS

• Enforced age restrictions and tighter controls on youth-targeted marketing

• Clear, equitable school policies that prioritize support, education, and cessation rather than punishment

• Mass media campaigns to shift youth perception of nicotine use and reduce its appeal

These steps, coupled with broad community collaboration, are essential to protect students’ health and prevent nicotine addiction from continuing to shape school environments.

⸻

Source:

Educator perspectives on nicotine use in schools 2025. Truth Initiative.