The Daily Populous Saturday May 30th, 2026 evening edition
Authored by apnews.com and submitted by part-time-stupid

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NEW YORK (AP) — The cigarette smoking rate among U.S. adults dropped to another all-time low last year, with 1 in 11 adults saying they were current smokers, according to government survey data released this week.

Cigarette smoking is a risk factor for lung cancer, heart disease and stroke, and it’s long been considered the leading cause of preventable death.

The preliminary findings from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention were based on survey responses from more than 24,200 adults. In the survey, CDC officials defined current cigarette smoking as smoking at least 100 cigarettes in a lifetime and now smoking every day or some days.

In the mid-1960s, 42% of U.S. adults were smokers. The rate has been gradually dropping for decades, due to cigarette taxes, tobacco product price hikes, smoking bans, public education campaigns and changes in the social acceptability of lighting up in public.

AP AUDIO: US adult cigarette smoking rate hits another all-time low AP’s Lisa Dwyer reports on a drop in smoking rates.

In 2024, the percentage of current adult smokers fell below 10% for the first time. Last year, it was 9%, according to the new survey.

The use of electronic cigarettes has been inching up among adults, but has held about steady in 2025, at about 7%.

“The continued decline in smoking is a monumental public health achievement that has saved millions of lives and billions in healthcare costs,” said Yolonda Richardson, president and chief executive of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, a Washington, D.C.-based advocacy and research organization.

Richardson said current smoking-prevention efforts have been set back by cuts President Donald Trump’s administration made that eliminated the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Office on Smoking and Health and its “Tips from Former Smokers” advertising campaign.

She cited estimates that the “Tips” campaign alone helped more than 1 million Americans quit smoking and saved over $7.3 billion in healthcare costs.

“This critical work must be restored and sustained to continue reducing smoking-related disease, death and healthcare costs nationwide,” Richardson said.

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

CaptainHawaii on May 30th, 2026 at 01:13 UTC »

How does this compare to literally every other nicotine product? Zyn, vape, etc.

MaruhkTheApe on May 30th, 2026 at 01:12 UTC »

The United States doesn't have many successes in the field of public health, but the anti-smoking campaign that got funded by the 1998 lawsuit settlement is absolutely one of them.

Aspirational1 on May 30th, 2026 at 00:59 UTC »

For comparative rates in other countries, this is quite useful. Figures are for 2026 .

https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/smoking-rates-by-country