Smoking Rates Reach Historic Low in the U.S.
NEW YORK — Cigarette smoking among adults in the United States has declined to an unprecedented low, with only 1 in 11 adults reporting they are current smokers, based on newly released government survey data.
Smoking poses significant health risks, including lung cancer, heart disease, and stroke, and is recognized as a principal cause of preventable death.
The preliminary findings from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention relied on responses from over 24,200 adults. According to the survey, being a current smoker is defined as having smoked at least 100 cigarettes in one’s lifetime and currently smoking every day or occasionally.
Back in the mid-1960s, a staggering 42% of U.S. adults smoked. The percentage has steadily declined over the decades, influenced by cigarette taxes, increased prices for tobacco products, smoking bans, public awareness campaigns, and shifts in societal attitudes towards smoking in public spaces.
In 2024, the percentage of adult smokers fell below 10% for the first time, registering at 9% last year, as revealed by the latest survey.
While the use of electronic cigarettes among adults has shown a slight increase, it has remained fairly stable at approximately 7% in 2025.
“The ongoing decrease in smoking rates is a remarkable public health success, saving millions of lives and significantly reducing healthcare costs,” remarked Yolonda Richardson, president and chief executive of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, a research and advocacy organization based in Washington, D.C.
Richardson noted that current smoking prevention efforts have faced setbacks due to cuts made during President Donald Trump’s administration, which eliminated the CDC’s Office on Smoking and Health and its “Tips from Former Smokers” advertising campaign. She referenced estimates suggesting that this campaign alone helped over 1 million Americans to quit smoking and saved more than $7.3 billion in healthcare expenses.
“We need to restore and maintain this essential work to keep decreasing smoking-related health issues, mortality, and healthcare costs across the nation,” Richardson emphasized.
