The percentage of U.S. adults who smoke cigarettes has reached an unprecedented low, with only 1 in 11 adults reporting being current smokers, according to preliminary government survey data released this week. This marks a continued decline in a habit long considered the leading cause of preventable death.
Historic Decline in Smoking Rates
In the mid-1960s, 42% of U.S. adults smoked. The rate has been steadily dropping for decades due to cigarette taxes, price increases, smoking bans, public education campaigns, and shifting social norms. In 2024, the rate fell below 10% for the first time, landing at 9% last year, based on responses from more than 24,200 adults surveyed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The CDC defines current cigarette smoking as having smoked at least 100 cigarettes in a lifetime and now smoking every day or some days. Cigarette smoking is a major risk factor for lung cancer, heart disease, and stroke.
E-Cigarette Use Holds Steady
While cigarette smoking has declined, the use of electronic cigarettes has been inching up among adults but remained relatively stable in 2025 at about 7%.
Yolonda Richardson, president and CEO of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, called the continued decline a monumental public health achievement that has saved millions of lives and billions in healthcare costs. However, she noted that recent cuts by the Trump administration eliminated the CDC’s Office on Smoking and Health and its “Tips from Former Smokers” advertising campaign.
Richardson cited estimates that the “Tips” campaign alone helped more than 1 million Americans quit smoking and saved over $7.3 billion in healthcare costs. She emphasized that this critical work must be restored and sustained to continue reducing smoking-related disease, death, and healthcare costs nationwide.
