US Adult Cigarette Smoking Rate Hits Another All-Time Low
The CDC reported that US adult cigarette smoking dropped to a record low of 9% in 2025, with only 1 in 11 adults identifying as current smokers. The achievement marks decades of progress in reducing smoking, though advocacy groups warn that recent cuts to prevention programs may threaten this public health success.
Major Health Milestone Achieved
The cigarette smoking rate among U.S. adults dropped to another all-time low last year, with 1 in 11 adults saying they were current smokers, according to government survey data released this week. Last year, it was 9%, according to the new survey. The preliminary findings from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention were based on survey responses from more than 24,200 adults.
In the mid-1960s, 42% of U.S. adults were smokers. The rate has been gradually dropping for decades, due to cigarette taxes, tobacco product price hikes, smoking bans, public education campaigns and changes in the social acceptability of lighting up in public.
Public Health Impact
Cigarette smoking is a risk factor for lung cancer, heart disease and stroke, and it's long been considered the leading cause of preventable death. "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. She cited estimates that the "Tips" campaign alone helped more than 1 million Americans quit smoking and saved over $7.3 billion in healthcare costs.
Concerns About Future Progress
Richardson said current smoking-prevention efforts have been set back by cuts President Donald Trump's administration made that eliminated the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Office on Smoking and Health and its "Tips from Former Smokers" advertising campaign. The use of electronic cigarettes has been inching up among adults, but has held about steady in 2025, at about 7%.
Historical Context
In 2024, the percentage of current adult smokers fell below 10% for the first time. The decline from 42% in the mid-1960s to 9% today represents one of public health's greatest successes, though sustained investment in prevention and education remains critical to maintaining this progress.