From 1965 to 2019, the prevalence of cigarette smoking in the U.S. has decreased from about 42 percent to 14 percent. Cigarette smoking is a known risk factor for many types of cancers including lung cancer, bladder cancer and pancreatic cancer. Globally tobacco use is one of the greatest risk factors for preventable diseases. There are several resources in the United States to help individuals quit smoking including website, hotlines, medications and text message programs.

Smoking prevalence globally

Globally, smoking prevalence has also decreased is projected to continue to decline through 2025. North America makes up a small percentage of the world’s cigarette smokers. The highest prevalence of tobacco smoking can be found in Europe, followed by the Western Pacific. In the past few decades there have been stronger efforts made to reduce cigarette consumption in many parts of the world. Cigarettes are taxed separately in many countries and are often required to add health warnings to cigarette packaging for consumers.

Smoking cessation measures

Smoking prevention measures cover a broad range of targeted cigarette reduction. Common tobacco control policies include warning labels, advertising bans, and smoke-free environments. As of 2020, around 60 percent of the world population lived in a place where there were warning labels on tobacco products. Furthermore, in 2020, around 34 percent of U.S. employers offered smoking cessation programs to their employees.

As of 2023, the U.S. states with the highest smoking rates included West Virginia, Tennessee, and Louisiana. In West Virginia, around 20 percent of all adults smoked as of this time. The number of smokers in the United States has decreased over the past decades. Who smokes? The smoking rates for both men and women have decreased for many years, but men continue to smoke at higher rates than women. As of 2021, around 13 percent of men were smokers compared to 10 percent of women. Concerning race and ethnicity, smoking is least prevalent among Asians with just five percent of this population smoking compared to 13 percent of non-Hispanic whites. Health impacts of smoking The negative health impacts of smoking are vast. Smoking increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, and many different types of cancers. For example, smoking is estimated to be attributable to 81 percent of all deaths from lung cancer among adults 30 years and older in the United States. Smoking is currently the leading cause of preventable death in the United States.

The global number of smokers in was forecast to continuously increase between 2024 and 2029 by in total 13.9 million individuals (+1.29 percent). After the eleventh consecutive increasing year, the number of smokers is estimated to reach 1.1 billion individuals and therefore a new peak in 2029. Shown is the estimated share of the adult population (15 years or older) in a given region or country, that smoke. According to the WHO and World bank, smoking refers to the use of cigarettes, pipes or other types of tobacco, be it on a daily or non-daily basis.The shown data are an excerpt of Statista's Key Market Indicators (KMI). The KMI are a collection of primary and secondary indicators on the macro-economic, demographic and technological environment in up to 150 countries and regions worldwide. All indicators are sourced from international and national statistical offices, trade associations and the trade press and they are processed to generate comparable data sets (see supplementary notes under details for more information).Find more key insights for the number of smokers in countries like Caribbean and Africa.

The smoking prevalence in the United States was forecast to continuously decrease between 2024 and 2029 by in total two percentage points. After the eighth consecutive decreasing year, the smoking prevalence is estimated to reach 19.93 percent and therefore a new minimum in 2029. Shown is the estimated share of the adult population (15 years or older) in a given region or country, that smoke on a daily basis. According to the WHO and World bank, smoking refers to the use of cigarettes, pipes or other types of tobacco.The shown data are an excerpt of Statista's Key Market Indicators (KMI). The KMI are a collection of primary and secondary indicators on the macro-economic, demographic and technological environment in up to 150 countries and regions worldwide. All indicators are sourced from international and national statistical offices, trade associations and the trade press and they are processed to generate comparable data sets (see supplementary notes under details for more information).Find more key insights for the smoking prevalence in countries like Canada and Mexico.

Comparing the 126 selected regions regarding the smoking prevalence , Myanmar is leading the ranking (42.49 percent) and is followed by Serbia with 39.33 percent. At the other end of the spectrum is Ghana with 3.14 percent, indicating a difference of 39.35 percentage points to Myanmar. Shown is the estimated share of the adult population (15 years or older) in a given region or country, that smoke on a daily basis. According to the WHO and World bank, smoking refers to the use of cigarettes, pipes or other types of tobacco.The shown data are an excerpt of Statista's Key Market Indicators (KMI). The KMI are a collection of primary and secondary indicators on the macro-economic, demographic and technological environment in up to 150 countries and regions worldwide. All indicators are sourced from international and national statistical offices, trade associations and the trade press and they are processed to generate comparable data sets (see supplementary notes under details for more information).

In 2022, the prevalence of smoking among white U.S. adults was 12.7 percent. This statistic represents the prevalence of smoking in the United States as of 2022, by race and ethnicity.

As of 2021, around 28.3 million adults in the United States were current cigarette smokers. Although this figure is still high, it is significantly lower compared to previous years. For example, in 2011, there were almost 44 million smokers in the United States.

Smoking demographics in the U.S. Although smoking in the U.S. has decreased greatly over the past few decades it is still more common among certain demographics than others. For example, men are more likely to be current cigarette smokers than women, with 13 percent of men smoking in 2021, compared to 10 percent of women. Furthermore, non-Hispanic whites and non-Hispanic Blacks smoke at higher rates than Hispanics and non-Hispanic Asians, with almost 13 percent of non-Hispanic whites smoking in 2021, compared to just over five percent of non-Hispanic Asians. Certain regions and states also have a higher prevalence of smoking than others, with around 20 percent of adults in West Virginia considered current smokers, compared to just six percent in Utah.

The health impacts of smoking The decrease in smoking rates in the United States over the past decades is due to many factors including policies and regulations limiting cigarette advertising, promotion, and sales, price increases for cigarettes, and widespread awareness among the public of the dangers of smoking. According to the CDC, those who smoke are two to four times more likely to develop coronary heart disease and stroke and around 25 times more likely to develop lung cancer than nonsmokers. In fact, it is estimated that around 81 percent of lung cancer deaths in the United States can be attributed to cigarette smoking, as well as 72 percent of larynx cancer deaths. Cigarette smokers are also much more likely to develop chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), with around 16 percent of current smokers in the U.S. living with COPD in 2021, compared to just three percent of those who had never smoked.

A survey from the fall of 2023, found that the most used tobacco products among college students in the United States were e-cigarettes or other vape products. At that time, around 75 percent of college students who used tobacco products in the past three months reported they used e-cigarettes or other vape products. The same survey found that among college students who reported ever using a tobacco product, around 24 percent stated they used tobacco daily or almost daily in the past three months, while 26 percent had used just once or twice. What is the most popular kind of tobacco product in the United States? Although e-cigarettes are the most used tobacco product among college students, the most commonly used form of tobacco among U.S. adults is still regular combustible cigarettes. In 2021, around 10 percent of women and 13 percent of men were current cigarette smokers, compared to four percent of women and five percent of men who smoked e-cigarettes. However, e-cigarette use is much more common among younger adults, not just college students. In 2021, around 11 percent of those aged 18 to 24 years used e-cigarettes, while five percent smoked combustible cigarettes. Smoking trends in the United States Smoking in the United States has dramatically decreased over the past few decades. In 1965, it was estimated that around 42 percent of adults in the U.S. smoked, but this number was only about 14 percent in 2019. Nevertheless, that is still almost 31 million people who smoke and are at risk of premature death due to cancer, cardiovascular disease, or stroke, just a few of the risk factors of smoking. The state with the highest percentage of adults who smoke is West Virginia, while Utah has the lowest prevalence of smoking. In 2022, around 20 percent of adults in West Virginia smoked, compared to six percent in Utah.

According to the latest reports, Extremadura was the Spanish autonomous community that featured the highest consumption of tobacco, as a quarter of its population reported to be daily smokers in 2022. Most of the Spanish regions, however, registered a prevalence of tobacco use of over 17 percent with the exception of the communities of Melilla and the Basque Country. Andalusia ranked, on the other hand, as the Spanish autonomous community with the highest number of smokers, reaching over 1.4 million daily smokers in 2022.

The demographics of tobacco use in Spain In Spain, an average of 22 percent of the population reported to smoke in 2022, with 20 percent of them being daily smokers. Former smokers accounted for 22 percent of the population, whereas more than half of Spaniards represented the non-smoking community of the Mediterranean country. Approximately 7.9 million people were daily smokers in Spain as of 2022, of which around 3.3 million were women and about 4.5 million were men.

Smoking and cancer It is very clear these days that there is a direct connection between smoking and cancer. Lung cancer is the fourth most commonly diagnosed type of cancer in Spain with almost 30 thousand new cases estimated for 2021, according to the most recent studies. The number of deaths as a result of lung cancer has maintained over 20 thousand cases in the last few years. Lung cancer deaths in men outnumbered by far the deaths in women, with over 16.5 thousand cases among the male population in comparison with 5.2 thousand cases among their female co-nationals in 2020. Also that year, deaths as a consequence of lung tumors were most common among the population aged 65 to 74.

In 2021, some 13 percent of all men in the United States were current cigarette smokers, compared to 10 percent of women. This statistic shows the percentage of persons who were current cigarette smokers from 1997 to 2021, by gender.

In 2022, around 28 percent of the population aged 15 years and over in Türkiye smoked every day. This statistic shows the percentage of the population in select countries worldwide who smoked daily as of 2022.

The share of daily smokers in Italy has diminished in the last decade, shifting from an average of 22.8 percent in 2010 to 19.6 percent in 2022. As of 2023, the highest percentage of smokers among Italians aged 14 years and older was found in Umbria, where roughly 22.4 people per 100 residents were smokers. Conversely, the region with the lowest share of individuals smoking was Trentino-South Tyrol, with around 14.4 percent.

Smoking habits In addition to the percentage decrease in daily smokers in Italy, smoking habits have also changed in terms of the number of cigarettes smoked per person. When it comes to the number of cigarettes smoked daily, a decrease in the percentage of people smoking more than 20 cigarettes a day could be observed from 2010 to 2022, as well as an increase in the percentage of people smoking up to five cigarettes a day.

Smokers’ profile Gender and age play an important role when looking at the probability of being a regular smoker. In 2022, the share of smokers in Italy was higher among males, which accounted for 23.8 percent of the male population, whereas only 15.6 percent of females were regular smokers. During the same year, the age group with the highest percentage of smokers was those between 25 and 44 years, with 26.7 percent. This percentage grew to 36.7 when considering just the population who stopped studying after lower secondary school.

It is projected that the prevalence of tobacco smoking will be 15.4 percent by 2025, a decrease from a prevalence of 27 percent in the year 2000. This statistic depicts the prevalence of tobacco smoking worldwide from 2000 to 2020 and projections for 2025.

This statistic shows the results of a survey on smoking habits, conducted in the United States from 2005 to 2015. The survey was conducted in July of each year, except for 2009, when it was conducted in June. In 2013, 80 percent of respondents in the United States said they had not smoked any cigarettes in the past week, while 19 percent stated they had.

Smoking in the United States

The percentage of smokers has decreased from 25 percent in 2005 to 19 percent in 2015, with total cigarette consumption also decreasing, reaching peak consumption back in 1980. This goes along with the fact that 80 percent of Americans believe that smoking is actually very harmful to the people who smoke. Yet, the number of adult smokers who still currently smoke is still close to 40 million in the United States. Of the people that still smoke, 72 percent consider themselves to be addicted whereas only 27 percent believe otherwise.

Even though the number of smokers seems high, the United States is near the bottom of a list of countries showing the share of the population who smoke on a daily basis compared to other countries around the world. Greece and Indonesia are at the top, closely followed by Latvia.

The general understanding that smoking is bad for your health has generated another way of smoking in the United States which is particularly popular amongst young adults – e-smoking. E-cigarettes run on batteries and have a cartridge that contains nicotine in a solution, which when smoked, heats the liquid, causing it to evaporate. In the past few years, e-cigarette use tripled in schools, surpassing regular cigarettes. When adults were questioned as to their motivations to try e-smoking, 47 percent responded that it was because of family and friends, while 39 percent said that it was the ability to be able to smoke inside.

According to the data, it is projected that the prevalence of tobacco smoking among those living in Africa will decrease from around 14.5 percent in 2000 to 7.4 percent in 2025. This statistic depicts the prevalence of tobacco smoking worldwide from 2000 to 2020 and projections for 2025, by region.

It is projected that the prevalence of tobacco use among those aged 15-24 years will decrease from 20.5 percent in 2000 to 11.8 percent in 2030. This statistic depicts the prevalence of tobacco use worldwide from 2000 to 2022 and projections for 2025 and 2030, by age

This statistic shows the evolution of daily smokers among the French population between 2000 and 2021 by gender. Despite an increase between 2019 and 2020, the overall trend was a decrease of the share of smokers in France in the past two decades: 30 percent of the respondents were daily smokers in 2000, compared to 25.3 percent in 2021.

In 2023, around 28.6 percent of the population aged 15 years and above in Indonesia were smokers. Smoking prevalence in Indonesia peaked in 2018 at 32.2 percent. To address the widespread prevalence of smoking, the government imposed a tax hike in 2020. Cigarette consumption in Indonesia Despite the Indonesian government's increase in excise duties on cigarettes and tobacco products, smoking among adults remains high, particularly among men. Cultural norms, low prices, and aggressive tobacco marketing significantly challenge efforts to reduce smoking rates. In Indonesia, smoking is deeply embedded in social practices and often begins at a young age. Recent data indicates that Indonesians aged 18 to 59 smoke an average of 12 cigarettes daily, equivalent to one regular-sized pack of cigarettes sold in the country. Tobacco industry in Indonesia The tobacco industry in Indonesia is a vital economic sector, ranking among the world’s leading producers and consumers of tobacco. Indonesia produced over 200,000 metric tons of tobacco annually, with exports to countries such as the Philippines and the United States. This extensive production and export network underscores the industry's importance to Indonesia's economy. The total export value of tobacco and its manufactured products from Indonesia is estimated to be nearly two billion U.S. dollars, highlighting its significant contribution to the nation's economic landscape.

It was estimated that around 8.6 percent of elderly adults in the United States smoked cigarettes in 2022. This statistic presents the percentage of adults aged 65 years and older in the U.S. who smoked cigarettes from 2013 to 2022.

The share of individuals who currently smoke cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos or a pipe in Greece was around 42 percent in 2020, which makes the Mediterranean country have the highest proportion of smokers in the EU.

Tobacco taxation

In an effort to reduce smoking prevalence among the populace, governments across Europe impose ever-higher tax rates on tobacco, making cigarettes much more expensive for consumers to purchase and hence, compelling them to reduce their consumption. For instance, Finland had the highest cigarette excise tax rate in 2019 at around 68 percent. Other countries like the Netherlands and Germany impose a slightly lower tax rate of 54 and 52 percent, respectively. The German government generated approximately 14.7 billion euros in revenues from tobacco taxation in 2020. With tobacco taxes making up the lion’s share of the price of a pack of cigarettes, European governments hope this will trigger a significant reduction in consumer demand.

To what extent did higher taxes contribute to reducing cigarette consumption in Europe?

With rising tobacco taxation across the European continent in the last years (albeit in varying rates), cigarette consumers have either quit smoking, reduced their intake or switched to e-cigarettes and non-combustible tobacco alternatives. In fact, only 28 percent of individuals consume tobacco in France today, a country once notorious for its prevalent tobacco consumption. This trend has been reflected over the years with a significant drop in the volume of cigarettes annually sold in France: In 2005, more than 54,000 tons of cigarettes were sold, but that figure dropped to nearly 36,000 tons by 2020. During the same time period, the price of the most sold brand of cigarettes in France more than tripled.