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Cigarette use in U.S. hits 80-year low, survey finds

By Daniel Miller
Published  August 26, 2024 1:11pm CDT
U.S.
Fox TV Stations
article

FILE-A person is seen smoking a cigarette. (Photo by Jeff T. Green/Getty Images)

The Brief

    • Approximately 11% of Americans smoke cigarettes, reaching an 80-year low, according to a Gallup survey.
    • Cigarette use fell drastically among young adults, with this group opting for e-cigarettes instead.
    • The Gallup poll also shows that a majority of people believe cigarettes and e-cigarettes are harmful.

Cigarette smoking has declined significantly among Americans, reaching an 80-year-old low, a new survey reveals. 

Only 11% of people say they smoke cigarettes, with a main reason for the drop in use being fewer young adults are using the substance. 

According to a Gallup survey, young Americans are now less likely than other age groups to smoke cigarettes, as 13% of people between the ages of 30 and 49, 18% of those 50 to 64 years old and 9% of those 65 and older say they smoke.

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Data for the study was collected using results from Gallup’s annual Consumption Habits poll conducted July 1-21 with a random sample of 1,010 adults 18 and older living in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. 

Although cigarette smoking has plunged among adults, more people are starting to use e-cigarettes, with 7% saying they have smoked electronic cigarettes or "vaped" in the past week. 

Separately, e-cigarette use is particularly higher among young adults. The poll noted that 18% of adults 18 to 29 years old vape, with the percentage declining among older age groups, down to 1% of those 65 and older.

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While these groups may use cigarettes and e-cigarettes, a majority of Americans believe these products are harmful. 

Gallup reported that 79% of adults say cigarettes are "very harmful" to people who use them; 57% say the same about e-cigarettes.

Meanwhile, a majority of adults also consider chewing tobacco to be "very harmful" to its users, although fewer people have this opinion about cigars, pipes, or nicotine pouches. However, seven in 10 Americans believe all these substances are at least "somewhat harmful."

The poll also noted that individuals who smoke are less likely than nonsmokers to consider cigarettes harmful. While 58% of cigarette smokers think cigarettes are very harmful, 80% of people who do not smoke cigarettes feel this way. And 63% of vapers think e-cigarettes are very harmful, compared with 79% of nonvapers.

The Source

  • Information for this story is from Gallup’s annual Consumption Habits poll, which the organization conducted July 1-21 using a random sample of 1,010 adults 18 and older living in all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. This story was reported from Washington, D.C.