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 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.

United States US: Smoking Prevalence: Total: % of Adults: Aged 15+ data was reported at 21.800 % in 2016. This records a decrease from the previous number of 22.300 % for 2015. United States US: Smoking Prevalence: Total: % of Adults: Aged 15+ data is updated yearly, averaging 23.900 % from Dec 2000 (Median) to 2016, with 9 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 31.400 % in 2000 and a record low of 21.800 % in 2016. United States US: Smoking Prevalence: Total: % of Adults: Aged 15+ data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s USA – Table US.World Bank: Health Statistics. Prevalence of smoking is the percentage of men and women ages 15 and over who currently smoke any tobacco product on a daily or non-daily basis. It excludes smokeless tobacco use. The rates are age-standardized.; ; World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory Data Repository (http://apps.who.int/ghodata/).; Weighted average;

United States US: Smoking Prevalence: Males: % of Adults data was reported at 24.600 % in 2016. This records a decrease from the previous number of 25.100 % for 2015. United States US: Smoking Prevalence: Males: % of Adults data is updated yearly, averaging 26.800 % from Dec 2000 (Median) to 2016, with 9 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 34.500 % in 2000 and a record low of 24.600 % in 2016. United States US: Smoking Prevalence: Males: % of Adults data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s USA – Table US.World Bank: Health Statistics. Prevalence of smoking, male is the percentage of men ages 15 and over who currently smoke any tobacco product on a daily or non-daily basis. It excludes smokeless tobacco use. The rates are age-standardized.; ; World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory Data Repository (http://apps.who.int/ghodata/).; Weighted average;

Historical chart and dataset showing U.S. smoking rate by year from 2000 to 2022.

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.

2011–2023. The tobacco disparities dashboard data utilized the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data to measure cigarette smoking disparities by age, disability, education, employment, income, mental health status, race and ethnicity, sex, and urban-rural status. The disparity value is the relative difference in the cigarette smoking prevalence among adults 18 and older in a focus group divided by the cigarette smoking prevalence among adults 18 and older in a reference group. A disparity value above 1 indicates that adults in the focus group smoke cigarettes at a higher rate, as reflected by the disparity value, compared with the rate among adults in the reference group who smoke cigarettes. A disparity value below 1 indicates that adults in the focus group smoke cigarettes at a lower rate, as reflected by the disparity value, compared with the rate among adults in the reference group who smoke cigarettes. A disparity value of 1 means there is no relative difference in the rate of adults who smoke cigarettes for the two groups compared.

This dataset contains two data files: 1) Adult cigarette use prevalence and 2) Adult tobacco use prevalence in California. Tobacco use includes cigarettes, cigars, little cigars or cigarillos, pipe tobacco, smokeless tobacco (e.g. chew, snuff, snus), hookah, or electronic smoking devices (e.g. e-cigarettes, vape pens, pod mods). See the individual file description for more information on each data file.

The California Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) is an on-going telephone survey of randomly selected adults, which collects information on a wide variety of health-related behaviors, including current cigarette and tobacco usage. Data are collected monthly from a random sample of the California population aged 18 years and older. The BRFSS has been conducted since 1984 by the California Department of Public Health in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

US: Smoking Prevalence: Females: % of Adults data was reported at 19.100 % in 2016. This records a decrease from the previous number of 19.600 % for 2015. US: Smoking Prevalence: Females: % of Adults data is updated yearly, averaging 21.100 % from Dec 2000 (Median) to 2016, with 9 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 28.400 % in 2000 and a record low of 19.100 % in 2016. US: Smoking Prevalence: Females: % of Adults data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s USA – Table US.World Bank: Health Statistics. Prevalence of smoking, female is the percentage of women ages 15 and over who currently smoke any tobacco product on a daily or non-daily basis. It excludes smokeless tobacco use. The rates are age-standardized.; ; World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory Data Repository (http://apps.who.int/ghodata/).; Weighted average;

Smoking rates for each Census Tract in Allegheny County were produced for the study “Developing small-area predictions for smoking and obesity prevalence in the United States.” The data is not explicitly based on population surveys or data collection conducted in Allegheny County, but rather estimated using statistical modeling techniques. In this technique, researchers applied the smoking rate of a demographically similar Census Tract to one in Allegheny County to compute a smoking rate.

Support for Health Equity datasets and tools provided by Amazon Web Services (AWS) through their Health Equity Initiative.

As of 2022, around 28.8 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 2022, compared to just under 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 85 percent of lung cancer deaths in the United States can be attributed to cigarette smoking, as well as 79 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.

1995-2025. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). State Tobacco Activities Tracking and Evaluation (STATE) System. Legislation-Tax. The STATE System houses current and historical state-level legislative data on tobacco use prevention and control policies. Data are reported on a quarterly basis. Data include state taxes on combustible (cigarettes, cigars, little cigars, pipe tobacco, and roll-your-own tobacco) tobacco products, non-combustible (snus, moist snuff, dry snuff, chewing tobacco) tobacco products, and tax stamps.

This data package is about tobacco use prevention and control policies, E-Cigarette legislation about youth access, information related to the Healthy People 2020 Tobacco Use objectives, its operational definitions, baselines, and targets.

From 1965 to 2019, the prevalence of cigarette smoking in the U.S. has decreased from about ** percent to ** 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 websites, hotlines, medications and text message programs. Smoking prevalence globally Globally, smoking prevalence has also decreased, and is projected to continue to decline through 2025. North America comprises 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 2022, around ** percent of the world population lived in a place where there were warning labels on tobacco products.

1995-2024. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). State Tobacco Activities Tracking and Evaluation (STATE) System. E-Cigarette Legislation—Youth Access. The STATE System houses current and historical state-level legislative data on tobacco use prevention and control policies. Data are reported on a quarterly basis. Data include information related to restrictions, enforcement and penalties associated with the sale of e-cigarettes to youth through retail sales and vending machines.

1995-2024. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). State Tobacco Activities Tracking and Evaluation (STATE) System. E-Cigarette Legislation—Tax. The STATE System houses current and historical state-level legislative data on tobacco use prevention and control policies. Data are reported on a quarterly basis. Data include state excise taxes on e-cigarettes and tax stamps.

United States US: Prevalence of Current Tobacco Use: % of Adults data was reported at 24.300 % in 2022. This records a decrease from the previous number of 24.700 % for 2021. United States US: Prevalence of Current Tobacco Use: % of Adults data is updated yearly, averaging 27.100 % from Dec 2000 (Median) to 2022, with 8 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 31.500 % in 2000 and a record low of 24.300 % in 2022. United States US: Prevalence of Current Tobacco Use: % of Adults data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.World Bank.WDI: Social: Health Statistics. The percentage of the population ages 15 years and over who currently use any tobacco product (smoked and/or smokeless tobacco) on a daily or non-daily basis. Tobacco products include cigarettes, pipes, cigars, cigarillos, waterpipes (hookah, shisha), bidis, kretek, heated tobacco products, and all forms of smokeless (oral and nasal) tobacco. Tobacco products exclude e-cigarettes (which do not contain tobacco), “e-cigars”, “e-hookahs”, JUUL and “e-pipes”. The rates are age-standardized to the WHO Standard Population.;World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory Data Repository (http://apps.who.int/ghodata/).;Weighted average;This is the Sustainable Development Goal indicator 3.a.1 [https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/metadata/]. Previous indicator name: Smoking prevalence, total (ages 15+) The previous indicator excluded smokeless tobacco use, while the current indicator includes. The indicator name and definition were updated in December, 2020.

United States CPI U: AW: GS: Tobacco & Smoking Products (TS) data was reported at 0.693 % in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 0.665 % for 2016. United States CPI U: AW: GS: Tobacco & Smoking Products (TS) data is updated yearly, averaging 0.818 % from Dec 1997 (Median) to 2017, with 21 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1.402 % in 2001 and a record low of 0.665 % in 2016. United States CPI U: AW: GS: Tobacco & Smoking Products (TS) data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Bureau of Labor Statistics. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.I011: Consumer Price Index: Urban: Weights (Annual).

1999-2017. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). State Tobacco Activities Tracking and Evaluation (STATE) System. YTS Data. The YTS was developed to provide states with comprehensive data on both middle school and high school students regarding tobacco use, exposure to environmental tobacco smoke, smoking cessation, school curriculum, minors' ability to purchase or otherwise obtain tobacco products, knowledge and attitudes about tobacco, and familiarity with pro-tobacco and anti-tobacco media messages. The YTS uses a two-stage cluster sample design to produce representative samples of students in middle schools (grades 6–8) and high schools (grades 9–12). The data for the STATE System were extracted from Youth Tobacco Surveys from participating states. Tobacco topics included are cigarette smoking prevalence, cigarette smoking frequency, smokeless tobacco products prevalence and quit attempts.

1995-2024. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). State Tobacco Activities Tracking and Evaluation (STATE) System. E-Cigarette Legislation—Licensure. The STATE System houses current and historical state-level legislative data on tobacco use prevention and control policies. Data are reported on a quarterly basis. Data include information related to requirements, restrictions and penalties associated with holding a retail license to sell e-cigarettes over-the-counter and through vending machines.