U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion

Reduce current cigarette, cigar, and pipe smoking in adults — TU‑03 Data Methodology and Measurement

On this page:  About the National Data  |  Methodology  |  History

About the National Data

Data

Data Source:  National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), CDC/NCHS

Baseline: 17.0 percent of adults aged 18 years and over used a combustible tobacco product every day or some days in 2019

Target: 5.0 percent

Numerator
Number of adults aged 18 years and over who used cigarettes; cigars, cigarillos, filtered little cigars; or regular pipes, water pipes, hookah and now use at least one tobacco product every day or some days.
Denominator
Number of adults aged 18 years and over.
Target-setting method
Maintain consistency with national programs, regulations, policies, or laws
Target-setting method justification
The target was selected to align with other national projections and comments from public requestors. This method was used because it is a more ambitious target that aligns with other national projections and comments from public requesters.

Methodology

Questions used to obtain the national baseline data

(For additional information, please visit the data source page linked above.)

From the 2019 National Health Interview Survey:

Numerator:
Have you smoked at least 100 cigarettes in your ENTIRE LIFE?
  1. Yes
  2. No
  3. Refused
  4. Don't know
Do you NOW smoke cigarettes every day, some days or not at all?
  1. Every day
  2. Some days
  3. Not at all
  4. Refused
  5. Don't know

From the 2019 National Health Interview Survey Tobacco and E-cigarette Use Supplement:

Do you now smoke regular cigars, cigarillos, or little filtered cigars every day, some days, or not at all?
  1. Every day
  2. Some days
  3. Not at all
  4. Refused
  5. Don't know
Do you now smoke pipes filled with tobacco – either regular pipes, water pipes, or hookahs, every day, some days, or not at all?
  1. Every day
  2. Some days
  3. Not at all
  4. Refused
  5. Don't know

Methodology notes

Combustible tobacco products include cigarettes, regular cigars, cigarillos, or little filtered cigars, regular pipes, water pipes, or hookahs. For cigarettes, users were defined as persons who reported smoking either "every day" or "some days" and had smoked at least 100 cigarettes during their lifetime. This indicator uses age-adjustment groups: 18-24, 25-34, 35-44, 45-64, 65+.

Age-adjustment notes

This Indicator uses Age-Adjustment Groups:

  • Total: 18-24, 25-34, 35-44, 45-64, 65+
  • Sex: 18-24, 25-34, 35-44, 45-64, 65+
  • Race/Ethnicity: 18-24, 25-34, 35-44, 45-64, 65+
  • Educational Attainment: 25-34, 35-44, 45-64, 65+
  • Family Income (percent poverty threshold): 18-24, 25-34, 35-44, 45-64, 65+
  • Family Type: 18-24, 25-34, 35-44, 45-64, 65+
  • Country of Birth: 18-24, 25-34, 35-44, 45-64, 65+
  • Disability Status: 18-24, 25-34, 35-44, 45-64, 65+
  • Geographic Location: 18-24, 25-34, 35-44, 45-64, 65+
  • Health Insurance Status: 18-24, 25-34, 35-44, 45-64
  • Marital Status: 18-24, 25-34, 35-44, 45-64, 65+
  • Sexual Orientation: 18-24, 25-34, 35-44, 45-64, 65+

History

Revision History
  • Revised. 

    In 2022, due to the 2019 NHIS redesign, the baseline was revised from 16.8% in 2018 to 17.0% in 2019.
    The target remained 5.0% using the original target setting method of maintain consistency with national programs, regulations, policies, or laws.
  • Revised. 

    In 2024, the following categories were recalculated with the use of a newer variable: Never married, American Indian or Alaska Native only, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander only, 2 or more races only, Not Hispanic or Latino American Indian or Alaska Native only, Not Hispanic or Latino Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander only, Not Hispanic or Latino 2 or more races only. Estimates from data year 2022 or earlier may vary slightly from estimates previously reported. The baseline, baseline year and target were not affected.