Researchers from University of California San Diego report that an expanded, school-based tobacco prevention program in California was associated with significantly lower rates of smoking and vaping among middle and high school students.
The study published in the Journal of Adolescent Health on Jan. 12, 2026, evaluated the impact of California’s Tobacco-Use Prevention Education program following a major funding increase approved by voters in 2016.
Using data from more than 160,000 students statewide, the researchers found that students attending schools receiving TUPE funding were 20% less likely to use tobacco overall and 23% less likely to vape, compared with students in schools without TUPE funding.
Read more at UC San Diego Today.
