Fewer Than Half of Youth Receive Tobacco Use Screening, Advice

Youth with psychological distress more likely to be screened but not advised about tobacco use

By Lori Solomon HealthDay Reporter

FRIDAY, Oct. 17, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Health professionals are screening and advising fewer than half of youth about tobacco use, according to a study published online Oct. 6 in Pediatrics Open Science.

Shichen Zheng, Ph.D., from the University of California, Davis, and colleagues examined whether youth with psychological distress were more likely to receive tobacco screening and advice not to use tobacco from a health professional. The analysis included data from 18,149 middle and high school students participating in the 2022 National Youth Tobacco Survey.

The researchers found that nearly half (47.6 percent) of youth reported some level of psychological distress. Slightly more youth (48.9 percent) reported being screened for tobacco, while 47.2 percent were advised not to use tobacco. Youth with distress were significantly more likely to report being screened than those without distress (odds ratios, 1.20 to 1.42). There was no association between distress and receiving advice. For tobacco users and nonusers, the association between distress and each outcome was not different.

“This is a missed opportunity,” Zheng said in a statement. “Youth who are struggling emotionally are more likely to turn to tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, as a way to cope. Health professionals can play a key role in prevention and treatment, but they need to go beyond just asking — they need to offer guidance and assistance.”