CDC Smoking Statistics

CDC Smoking Statistics

 

By Gender
Men were more likely to be current cigarette smokers than women.

  • Nearly 18 of every 100 adult men (17.5%)
  • Nearly 14 of every 100 adult women (13.5%)

By Age
Current cigarette smoking was higher among persons aged 18–24 years, 25–44 years, and 45–64 years than among those aged 65 years and older.

    • About 13 of every 100 adults aged 18–24 years smokes (13.1%)
    • Nearly 18 of every 100 adults aged 25–44 years smokes (17.6%)
    • A full 18 of every 100 adults aged 45–64 years smokes (18.0%)
    • Just 9 of every 100 adults aged 65 years and older smokes (8.8%)
      •     ( Many smokers don’t make it too far past age 65 )

By Race/Ethnicity

Current cigarette smoking was highest among non-Hispanic American Indians/Alaska Natives and people of multiple races and lowest among Asians.

  • Nearly 32 of every 100 non-Hispanic American Indians/Alaska Natives (31.8%)
  • About 25 of every 100 non-Hispanic multiple race individuals (25.2%)
  • Nearly 17 of every 100 non-Hispanic Blacks (16.5%)
  • Nearly 17 of every 100 non-Hispanic Whites (16.6%)
  • Nearly 11 of every 100 Hispanics (10.7%)
  • 9 of every 100 non-Hispanic Asians* (9.0%)

*Non-Hispanic Asians does not include Native Hawaiians or Other Pacific Islanders.

By Education

Current cigarette smoking was highest among persons with a graduate education degree certificate (GED) and lowest among those with a graduate degree.

  • About 24 of every 100 adults with 12 or fewer years of education (no diploma) (24.1%)
  • Nearly 41 of every 100 adults with a GED certificate (40.6%)
  • Nearly 20 of every 100 adults with a high school diploma (19.7%)
  • Nearly 19 of every 100 adults with some college (no degree) (18.9%)
  • Nearly 17 of every 100 adults with an associate’s degree (16.8%)
  • Nearly 8 of every 100 adults with an undergraduate degree (7.7%)
  • Nearly 5 of every 100 adults with a graduate degree (4.5%)

By Poverty Status

Current cigarette smoking was higher among persons living below the poverty* level than those living at or above this level.

  • About 25 of every 100 adults who live below the poverty level (25.3%)
  • About 14 of every 100 adults who live at or above the poverty level (14.3%)

*Poverty thresholds are based on U.S. Census Bureau data.

By U.S. Census Region

Current cigarette smoking was highest in the Midwest and lowest in the West.

  • Nearly 19 of every 100 adults who live in the Midwest (18.5%)
  • Nearly 17 of every 100 adults who live in the South (16.9%)
  • About 13 of every 100 adults who live in the Northeast (13.3%)
  • About 12 of every 100 adults who live in the West (12.3%)

By Disability/Limitation

Current cigarette smoking was higher among persons with a disability/limitation than among those with no disability/limitation.

  • About 21 of every 100 adults who reported having a disability/limitation (21.2%)
  • About 14 of every 100 adults who reported having no disability/limitation (14.4%)

By Sexual Orientation

Lesbian/gay/bisexual adults were more likely to be current smokers than straight adults.

  • Nearly 21 of every 100 lesbian/gay/bisexual adults (20.5%)
  • About 15 of every 100 straight adults (15.3%)

By Serious Psychological Distress

Adults that had experienced serious psychological distress were more likely to be current smokers than adults that did not report serious psychological distress.

  • Nearly 36 of every 100 adults with serious psychological distress (35.8%)
  • Nearly 15 of every 100 adults without serious psychological distress (14.7%)