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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 2020, 12.7 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 2020, non-Hispanic American Indian or Alaska Native adults had the highest group rate of current cigarette smoking (25.7 percent). Non-Hispanic Asian adults (reference group) had the lowest group rate (8.0 percent).

The rate of current cigarette smoking among non-Hispanic American Indian or Alaska Native 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 17.7 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 2020, non-Hispanic Asian adults had the lowest group rate of current cigarette smoking (8.0 percent).

  • The rate of current cigarette smoking among Hispanic or Latino adults was less than 10 percent higher than the lowest group rate. The ratio between the rates was not statistically significant.
  • The rate of current cigarette smoking among non-Hispanic White adults was 71.0 percent higher than the lowest group rate.
  • The rate of current cigarette smoking among non-Hispanic Black or African American adults was 81.0 percent higher than the lowest group rate.
  • The rate of current cigarette smoking among non-Hispanic Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander adults was 85.0 percent higher than the lowest group rate.
  • The rate of current cigarette smoking among non-Hispanic multiracial adults was more than 2.5 times the lowest group rate.
  • The rate of current cigarette smoking among non-Hispanic American Indian or Alaska Native adults was more than 3 times the lowest group rate.

Percentage of adults currently smoking cigarettes, 2020 *

8.0% Non-Hispanic Asian adults
8.1% Hispanic or Latino adults
13.7% Non-Hispanic White adults
14.6% Non-Hispanic Black or African American adults
14.9% Non-Hispanic Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander adults
21.4% Non-Hispanic multiracial adults
25.7% Non-Hispanic American Indian or Alaska Native adults

Find data for additional demographic groups.