Youth Risk Behavior Survey Results

The OPI has received Montana's 2023 YRBS survey results from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This preliminary data is in the process of being entered into our database and will be ready for participating schools' access soon. We anticipate publishing statewide data in Mid-November if everything goes well. Both the OPI and the CDC have gone through many transitions which has delayed everyone’s access to this important data. Youth Risk Behavior Survey Coordinator, Genie Zeeck and the entire OPI staff appreciate your participation and your patience this 2023 cycle. 

Youth Vaping Prevention Presentations Available to Montana Schools 

With new Youth Risk Behavior Survey data available soon, we're hoping to see a decline in Montana youth reporting current e-cigarette use but hopes and dreams aren't enough to effect positive change. We all need to work together to make sure Montana youth understand that choosing to stay tobacco-free is one of the best decisions they will ever make. It's a choice that only they are in complete control of. 

We can't deny that some schools report an increase in student vaping.  When schools receive their 2023 YRBS data, we encourage administrators and school wellness teams to look over the tobacco-related data carefully. Are more students reporting they are trying electronic cigarettes? We hope we can continue to say "Most kids don't even try vaping in Montana." Are more students reporting they vape more than 20 days out of 30?  Excessive use is indicative of just how powerful the cravings for this smooth, salt-based nicotine can be. What about nicotine pouch use? Those little round cans of Zyn have not gone unnoticed by our youth. What percentage of youth tobacco users report they have tried to quit? The more support students who want to quit can get, the better the chance they'll have to beat this very powerful addiction.

Nicotine, in any form, is dangerous for youth. Nicotine harms development by damaging the parts of the brain that control attention, learning, mood, and impulses; it can prime the brain for addiction to other drugs in the future.

The OPI and your county tobacco education specialists offer free age-appropriate student vaping prevention presentations for grades 4 through 12. These presentations are designed to supplement and reinforce what schools are already teaching students about the harmful effects of vaping. 

If you'd like to inquire about classroom presentations for your school follow this link or contact Kris Minard at kminard@mt.gov or 406.444.0785.

The OPI is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to people with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation, require an alternate format, or have questions concerning accessibility, contact the OPI ADA Coordinator, 406-444-3161, opiada@mt.gov, Relay Service: 711.