Clinical Edge

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Is Cigarette Smoking Among US Adults Declining?

MMWR; 2018 Jan 19; Jamal, Phillips, et al

Publish date:

Current cigarette smoking among US adults has declined since 2005; however, cigarette smoking prevalence did not change significantly during 2015-2016, a recent study found. To assess progress toward the Healthy People 2020 target of reducing the proportion of US adults aged ≥18 years who smoke cigarettes to ≤12.0%, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) analyzed data from the 2016 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS). Among the findings:

  • The proportion of US adults who smoke cigarettes declined from 20.9% in 2005 (45.1 million smokers) to 15.5% in 2016 (37.8 million smokers).
  • However, cigarette smoking prevalence did not change significantly during 2015-2016.
  • Sociodemographic disparities in cigarette smoking persist.
  • Increases occurred in the proportion of adult ever smokers who quit smoking (50.8% to 59.0%).

Citation:

Jamal A, Phillips E, Gentzke AS, et al. Current cigarette smoking among adults—United States, 2016. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2018;67:53–59. doi:10.15585/mmwr.mm6702a1.

Commentary:

Currently 59% of all individuals who have ever smoked are now former smokers. The concerted public health effort to encourage smoking cessation is one of the great public health successes of the last century. Population-based interventions, including tobacco price increases, comprehensive smoke-free laws, anti-tobacco mass media campaigns, and barrier-free access to tobacco cessation counseling and medications along with individual counseling by primary care physicians in their offices have made a fantastic impact on individuals’ decisions to stop smoking. Unfortunately, as cigarette use has decreased, e-cigarette use seems to be increasing. Among youth, the prevalence of past 30-day use was higher for e-cigarettes than regular cigarettes (2014: 13% vs 9%).1 Since e-cigarette use leads to cigarette use in half of those who are using e-cigarettes, we may see a reversal in the decreasing trend of cigarette use unless the message of potential health problems with e-cigarettes becomes effectively communicated. — Neil Skolnik, MD

  1. Arrazola RA, Singh T, Corey CG, et al. Tobacco use among middle and high school students—United States, 2011–2014. MMWR. 2015:64(14);381-385.

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