Michigan Adult Smoking Falls Nearly 50 Percent as Youth Vaping Declines

---

Key Points:

• Survey Overview: Newly released 2025 Michigan Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) results show youth cigarette smoking remains near historic lows, while e-cigarette use has declined substantially since peaking in 2019.

• Youth Smoking Near Historic Lows: In 2025, only 2.6 percent of Michigan high school students currently smoked combustible cigarettes, while 14.4 percent reported ever trying a cigarette.

• Frequent and Daily Smoking Remain Rare: Only 0.5 percent of Michigan high school students reported frequent cigarette smoking, defined as smoking on 20 or more days in the preceding month, while just 0.4 percent reported smoking daily.

• Recent Youth Smoking Increases: Between 2023 and 2025, current cigarette smoking increased by 23.8 percent, frequent smoking rose by 150 percent, and daily smoking doubled. However, these increases reflect changes from exceptionally low baseline rates.

• Long-Term Youth Smoking Declines: Despite recent increases, current cigarette smoking among Michigan high school students declined 42.2 percent between 2019 and 2025, while frequent smoking fell 50 percent and daily smoking decreased 33.3 percent.

• Youth Vaping Declines: Current e-cigarette use among Michigan high school students declined 30.3 percent between 2019 and 2025, falling from 20.8 percent to 14.5 percent.

• Vaping Experimentation Falls: In 2025, 30.1 percent of Michigan high school students reported ever trying an e-cigarette, a 39.6 percent decline from 49.8 percent in 2019.

• Frequent Vaping Plummets: Frequent e-cigarette use among Michigan high school students declined 51.5 percent, from 9.9 percent in 2019 to 4.8 percent in 2025.

• Daily Vaping Falls Sharply: Daily e-cigarette use decreased 55.6 percent between 2019 and 2025, falling from 7.2 percent to just 3.2 percent of Michigan high school students.

• Adult Smoking Reaches Historic Low: According to the 2025 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) figures presented in the analysis, only 10.8 percent of Michigan adults currently smoked combustible cigarettes, the lowest rate recorded by the survey.

• Adult Smoking Nearly Halves: Between 2016 and 2025, adult cigarette smoking prevalence declined 47.1 percent, falling from 20.4 percent to 10.8 percent.

• Young Adult Smoking Below 5 Percent: In 2025, only 3.4 percent of Michigan adults aged 18 to 24 currently smoked cigarettes, falling below the 5 percent prevalence threshold often used to describe a smoke-free population.

• Adult Vaping Nearly Doubles: Between 2016 and 2025, adult e-cigarette use increased 95.9 percent, from 4.9 percent to 9.6 percent, nearly matching the percentage of Michigan adults who currently smoke combustible cigarettes.

• Adult Daily Vaping Exceeds Youth Daily Use: In 2025, 5.7 percent of Michigan adults reported daily e-cigarette use, compared with 3.2 percent of Michigan high school students.

• Fewer Adult Smokers: Between 2024 and 2025, adult smoking prevalence declined 19.4 percent, from 13.4 percent to 10.8 percent, representing approximately 203,325 fewer Michigan adults smoking in a single year.

• Smoking and Vaping Trends: Michigan's declining adult smoking rates alongside increasing e-cigarette use are consistent with the potential role of smoke-free nicotine alternatives in tobacco harm reduction, although population-level trends alone cannot establish causation.

• Economic Burden of Smoking: WalletHub estimated that combustible cigarette smoking carried an annual economic cost of $78,532 per Michigan smoker in 2025, including approximately $3,720 in health care costs.

• Potential Economic Benefits: Applying WalletHub's estimates to Michigan's approximately 203,325 fewer adult smokers suggests nearly $16 billion in associated annual economic burdens, including approximately $756.4 million in health care costs. These figures are illustrative and should not be interpreted as documented or immediately realized savings.

• Legislative Transition: Michigan's 103rd Legislature concludes its 2025–2026 legislative cycle in December, with the newly elected 104th Legislature beginning its 2027–2028 term in January. The transition provides an opportunity to examine the latest youth and adult tobacco-use trends as lawmakers consider future nicotine regulations.

• Policy Implications: Michigan's latest survey findings provide important context for evaluating youth prevention measures, nicotine taxation, product restrictions, and adult access to potentially lower-risk alternatives.

• Bottom Line: Michigan adult smoking has declined nearly 50 percent since 2016, reaching its lowest recorded level, while adult vaping has nearly doubled. Meanwhile, youth cigarette smoking remains near historic lows, and youth vaping has declined substantially since 2019. These trends provide important context for evaluating policies that distinguish between combustible cigarettes and smoke-free nicotine alternatives while balancing youth prevention and adult tobacco harm reduction.

---

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released the 2025 results of the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS), and the findings on tobacco and nicotine use are noteworthy for lawmakers in the Great Lakes State. Youth combustible cigarette use remains at historically low levels, while youth vaping has declined dramatically since peaking in 2019. Moreover, adult smoking rates have reached their lowest levels recorded, while an increasing percentage of Michigan adults are using alternatives to combustible cigarettes.

These findings are particularly timely as Michigan's 103rd Legislature enters its final weeks following the November elections. The current 2025–2026 legislative cycle concludes at the end of December, with the newly elected 104th Legislature beginning its 2027–2028 term in January. As outgoing lawmakers navigate the post-election lame-duck period and incoming members prepare their legislative priorities, it is imperative that policymakers have the most up-to-date data on youth and adult tobacco and vapor product use.

The YRBS is a biennial survey administered in conjunction with the CDC and the Michigan Department of Education. The survey monitors various student behaviors, ranging from dietary and physical activity habits to mental health and substance use.

According to the YRBS, in 2025, among Michigan high school students, only 14.4 percent reported ever trying a combustible cigarette, while 2.6 percent reported current cigarette use – defined as having used the product on at least one occasion in the 30 days preceding the survey. Further, only 0.5 percent reported frequent use (20 or more days in the past month), while just 0.4 percent of Michigan high school students reported smoking every day.

Policymakers should, however, examine these findings in the context of the previous survey conducted in 2023.

Between 2023 and 2025, the percentage of Michigan high school students who had ever tried a cigarette decreased by 10.6 percent. Meanwhile, current cigarette use increased by 23.8 percent, frequent use increased by 150 percent, and daily use doubled.

Although these increases warrant continued monitoring, the overall prevalence of youth cigarette smoking remains exceptionally low. Further, the large percentage increases in frequent and daily smoking reflect changes from very small baseline rates.

Importantly, cigarette use remains substantially lower than in 2019. Between 2019 and 2025, current combustible cigarette use among Michigan high school students declined by 42.2 percent, frequent use decreased by 50 percent, and daily use fell by 33.3 percent. While lawmakers should remain attentive to recent fluctuations, these findings should be considered alongside longer-term trends before pursuing additional restrictions that could also affect adults who smoke.

As e-cigarettes have emerged as alternatives to combustible cigarettes, policymakers have increasingly focused on youth vaping. The latest Michigan YRBS findings offer encouraging news. Consistent with national trends and findings from other states, youth e-cigarette use appears to have peaked in Michigan in 2019 and has declined significantly in subsequent years.

In 2019, nearly half (49.8 percent) of Michigan high school students reported ever trying an e-cigarette, 20.8 percent were currently vaping, 9.9 percent were frequently vaping, and 7.2 percent reported daily e-cigarette use.

Between 2019 and 2025, the percentage of Michigan high school students who had ever tried an e-cigarette declined by 39.6 percent, to 30.1 percent of students. Current use decreased by 30.3 percent, to 14.5 percent; frequent use declined by 51.5 percent, to 4.8 percent; and daily use fell by 55.6 percent, to just 3.2 percent of students.

These declines are particularly noteworthy as Michigan policymakers continue to consider how best to regulate nicotine products while balancing youth prevention efforts with access to potentially less harmful alternatives for adults who smoke.

The CDC also conducts the annual Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), which monitors various health-related behaviors among adults aged 18 years and older, including combustible cigarette and e-cigarette use.

According to the BRFSS, in 2025, only 10.8 percent of Michigan adults were currently smoking combustible cigarettes – the lowest rate recorded by the survey. Further, smoking among young adults aged 18 to 24 years is at historic lows. In 2025, only 3.4 percent of young adults reported current cigarette use, falling below the 5 percent prevalence threshold often used to describe a smoke-free population.

Meanwhile, e-cigarette use has increased among Michigan adults. In 2025, 9.6 percent reported currently vaping – nearly matching the percentage of adults who smoke combustible cigarettes. Further, 5.7 percent of Michigan adults reported daily e-cigarette use, compared to 3.2 percent of Michigan high school students.

Long-term BRFSS data demonstrate a notable relationship between the growth of e-cigarette use and declining combustible cigarette smoking among Michigan adults. In 2016, 20.4 percent of Michigan adults were current smokers, while 4.9 percent were current e-cigarette users. Between 2016 and 2025, the percentage of adults currently smoking declined by 47.1 percent, while the percentage currently vaping increased by 95.9 percent.

Although these population-level trends do not establish a causal relationship, they are consistent with the growing role that alternative nicotine products may play in reducing combustible cigarette use.

The reduction in smoking among Michigan adults also carries potentially substantial economic benefits. According to WalletHub, the estimated annual economic cost associated with smoking for an individual smoker in Michigan was $78,532 in 2025, including $3,720 in health care costs.

Between 2024 and 2025, adult smoking prevalence declined by approximately 19.4 percent, from 13.4 percent to 10.8 percent. Based on estimated adult population figures, this represents approximately 203,325 fewer Michigan adults who smoke.

Applying WalletHub's estimated annual smoking-related costs to this reduction suggests a potential economic burden of nearly $16 billion associated with that number of smokers, including approximately $756.4 million in health care costs. These figures are illustrative estimates rather than documented annual savings, but they underscore the substantial economic and public health burden associated with combustible cigarette smoking.

As Michigan's 103rd Legislature concludes its work and the incoming 104th Legislature prepares to convene in January 2027, policymakers have an opportunity to evaluate tobacco and nicotine policies using the latest available evidence.

Youth smoking remains historically low, youth vaping has declined substantially since 2019, and adult cigarette use has fallen by nearly half over the past decade. Rather than pursuing policies that may inadvertently restrict access to less harmful alternatives, Michigan lawmakers should prioritize evidence-based approaches that protect youth while preserving opportunities for adults who smoke to transition away from combustible cigarettes. Such an approach would recognize the continuum of risk among nicotine products and build upon the significant public health progress already underway in the Great Lakes State.

Nothing in this analysis is intended to influence the passage of legislation, and it does not necessarily represent the views of Tobacco Harm Reduction 101.