U.S. Cigarette Smoking Rates Hit All-Time Low According to CDC Data

The percentage of adult cigarette smokers in the United States reached a new all-time low of 9% in 2025, according to government survey data released on May 29, 2026. This figure, representing approximately 1 in 11 adults, follows a 2024 milestone where the smoking rate fell below 10% for the first time in U.S. History.

The findings were released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and were based on survey responses from more than 24,200 adults. For the purposes of the study, CDC officials defined a current cigarette smoker as an individual who has smoked at least 100 cigarettes in their lifetime and currently smokes either every day or on some days.

Economic and Regulatory Drivers of Decline

The decline in smoking rates represents a long-term shift in consumer behavior. In the mid-1960s, 42% of U.S. Adults were smokers. The gradual reduction over the subsequent six decades is attributed to a combination of fiscal pressures and regulatory restrictions.

Key factors contributing to the decline include the implementation of cigarette taxes and broader tobacco product price hikes, which have increased the cost of consumption. The proliferation of smoking bans in public spaces, comprehensive public education campaigns, and a shift in the social acceptability of smoking have diminished the prevalence of the habit.

While traditional cigarette use has plummeted, the use of electronic cigarettes among adults has remained relatively stable. Data from 2025 indicates that e-cigarette usage is holding at approximately 7%.

Healthcare Costs and Public Health Expenditure

The reduction in smoking rates has significant implications for national healthcare spending. Cigarette smoking is a primary risk factor for stroke, heart disease, and lung cancer, and is recognized as the leading cause of preventable death.

Yolonda Richardson, president and chief executive of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, described the trend as a monumental public health achievement that has resulted in the saving of billions of dollars in healthcare costs and millions of lives.

A central component of these savings was the Tips from Former Smokers advertising campaign. Estimates suggest that this specific initiative helped more than 1 million Americans quit smoking, which saved over $7.3 billion in healthcare expenditures.

Funding Cuts and Programmatic Impacts

Despite the downward trend in smoking rates, advocacy groups have raised concerns regarding the sustainability of these gains following federal budget adjustments. Richardson noted that smoking-prevention efforts were hindered by cuts made during the administration of President Donald Trump.

These cuts resulted in the elimination of the CDC’s Office on Smoking and Health, as well as the termination of the Tips from Former Smokers campaign.

This critical work must be restored and sustained to continue reducing smoking-related disease, death and healthcare costs nationwide.

Yolonda Richardson, president and chief executive of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids

The loss of these programs is viewed by health advocates as a setback to the systematic reduction of tobacco-related liabilities and the ongoing effort to lower the national burden of preventable chronic diseases.