Nicotine pouches have overtaken cigarettes in youth popularity, as tobacco product use among US middle and high schoolers dropped to its lowest level in a quarter of a century, according to official data released Thursday.

The pouches -- which are placed in the mouth to allow direct absorption into the bloodstream -- were used by 1.8 percent of all students in 2024, compared to 1.5 percent in 2023, according to the data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).