A decline in cigarette use occurred due to a number of reasons including: 1) education regarding the harms of tobacco use; 2) increases in cigarette taxes that made products harder for youth to access; 3) passage of laws that restrict tobacco purchase and possession by minors;  4) expanded training for tobacco retailers and lower violation rates of retailers selling cigarettes to minors; and, 5) youth switched use to other and new forms of tobacco products.

These data are current as of June 2016. The CT School Health Survey, Youth Tobacco Component ended its data collection on middle school students in 2015. No newer data for middle school students will be collected.

Partners included the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, the State Department of Education, community service providers and youth service bureaus, 

Passage of higher cigarette tax rates and continued enforcement of purchase and possession restrictions.

"NO LONGER APPLICABLE", data collection for middle school youth no longer possible.