The Current Rate Of Tobacco Use In The US Might Surprise You
You're probably well aware of the dangers of using tobacco products. According to the American Lung Association, it is linked to several health conditions, with lung cancer being at the top of the list. In fact smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States. Annually, more than 480,000 people die from smoking. Vaping devices and smokeless tobacco are no better because they contain harmful chemicals. Furthermore, secondhand smoke is linked to certain health issues and is responsible for more than 41,000 deaths each year.
With the help of initiatives aimed at raising awareness about the dangers of smoking, along with cessation programs, more than 1 million people quit smoking each year (via Quit). And it's not just Americans who are snubbing tobacco. The number of people who use tobacco products on a global level has been in decline since the year 2000, according to data gathered from Statista.
Tobacco use hasn't been this low since the '60s
In the U.S., the number of people using tobacco is the lowest it's been since 1965. A 2022 report published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention analyzed 31,568 individuals and showed that the percentage of adults who smoked from 2019 to 2020 dropped to 19%, a decline from 21%. The percentage of adults who smoke cigarettes dropped to 12.5%, and the number of those who used vaping devices dropped to 3.7%. The percentage of adults who smoked from the age of 18 to 24 was about 18%. Additionally, men on average smoked more than women (almost twice as many men were users compared to women), and the age group who smoked the most were those between 25 and 44 years old making up nearly 30% of tobacco product users.
According to the report, some 47 million people still use tobacco products. While that sounds like a lot, Thomas A. Carr, national director at the American Lung Association, tells United Press International, "This is definitely positive news as these numbers are continuing a downward trend in tobacco use we've seen in the past few years." He's hopeful the trend will continue.