Youth smoking rates are at an all-time low, however, 1 in 5 Wisconsin high school students use e-cigarettes. E-cigarettes are electronic devices that heat a liquid and produce an aerosol, or mix of particles in the air.  As commercial tobacco and nicotine products continue to change, so does the health impact on individuals with nicotine addiction and those exposed to secondhand smoke or aerosol. Most e-cigarettes contain nicotine which is highly addictive and can harm adolescent brain development. E-cigarettes contain other harmful substances besides nicotine and do not produce a harmless “water vapor”. These products have been rapidly produced and marketed. JUUL is a brand of e-cigarette that consumes a majority of the market and has as much nicotine as a pack of 20 regular cigarettes.

The percentage of Marathon County teens who have ever tried smoking cigarettes or used other tobacco products has remained stable and not increased. However, the adult smoking rate is significantly higher than the state value. The number of illegal sales of tobacco products to minors in compliance checks has decreased over the past several years.