A newly released government survey reveals that adult cigarette smoking across America has reached an unprecedented low, with just 1 in 11 adults reporting they currently smoke cigarettes.
The habit remains linked to lung cancer, heart disease and stroke, and health officials have long identified it as the top preventable cause of death in the country.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention gathered these preliminary results through survey responses from over 24,200 adults. Researchers classified current cigarette smokers as those who have smoked at least 100 cigarettes during their lifetime and continue smoking either daily or occasionally.
Back in the mid-1960s, 42% of American adults used cigarettes. The numbers have steadily declined over the decades thanks to tobacco taxes, higher product costs, smoking restrictions, public awareness efforts and shifting social attitudes about smoking in public spaces.
The 2024 data shows current adult smoking dropped below 10% for the first time ever, landing at 9% in the latest survey.
Meanwhile, adult use of electronic cigarettes has been slowly rising but remained stable in 2025 at approximately 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 noted that current anti-smoking initiatives have suffered setbacks due to cuts made by President Donald Trump’s administration that shut down the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Office on Smoking and Health and ended its “Tips from Former Smokers” advertising campaign.
She referenced studies indicating that the “Tips” campaign by itself helped over 1 million Americans stop smoking and prevented more than $7.3 billion in healthcare expenses.
“This critical work must be restored and sustained to continue reducing smoking-related disease, death and healthcare costs nationwide,” Richardson said.
