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

Reduce current cigarette smoking in adults — TU‑02 Infographic

This objective is a Leading Health Indicator (LHI). Learn about LHIs.

Status: Improving

  Improving

Most Recent Data:
11.0 percent (2023) *

Target:
6.1 percent  *

Desired Direction:
Decrease desired

Baseline:
14.2 percent of adults aged 18 years and over were current cigarette smokers in 2019  *

* Age adjusted to the year 2000 standard population.

Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the United States. Cigarette smoking causes cancer, heart disease, COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), and many other serious health problems. While cigarette smoking prevalence among U.S. adults has decreased overall, smoking is more common among some population groups. To reduce disparities in smoking, including disparities by race and ethnicity, continued monitoring of cigarette smoking by different population groups is critical — in addition to evidence-based approaches to prevent and control tobacco use.

In 2019, 14.2 percent of adults aged 18 years and over were current cigarette smokers. *

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

Disparities in current cigarette smoking rates among adults by race and ethnicity: Highest/lowest rate * ‡

In 2019, non-Hispanic multiracial adults had the highest group rate of current cigarette smoking (22.6 percent). Non-Hispanic Asian adults (reference group) had the lowest group rate (7.1 percent).

The rate of current cigarette smoking among non-Hispanic multiracial adults was more than 3 times the rate among non-Hispanic Asian adults (maximal rate ratio). The difference between the highest and lowest group rates was 15.5 percentage points (maximal rate difference).

Learn about how we calculate disparities data.

Disparities in current cigarette smoking rates among adults by race and ethnicity: All groups * ‡

In 2019, non-Hispanic Asian adults had the lowest group rate of current cigarette smoking (7.1 percent).

  • The rate of current cigarette smoking among Hispanic or Latino adults was 24.0 percent higher than the lowest group rate.
  • The rate of current cigarette smoking among non-Hispanic Black or African American adults was more than twice the lowest group rate.
  • The rate of current cigarette smoking among non-Hispanic White adults was more than twice the lowest group rate.
  • The rate of current cigarette smoking among non-Hispanic American Indian or Alaska Native adults was 3 times the lowest group rate.
  • The rate of current cigarette smoking among non-Hispanic multiracial adults was more than 3 times the lowest group rate.

Percentage of adults currently smoking cigarettes, 2019 *

7.1% Non-Hispanic Asian adults
8.8% Hispanic or Latino adults
14.9% Non-Hispanic Black or African American adults
16.1% Non-Hispanic White adults
20.9% Non-Hispanic American Indian or Alaska Native adults
22.6% Non-Hispanic multiracial adults

Find data for additional demographic groups.