Tobacco Product Use and Cessation Indicators Among Adults - United States, 2018

Abstract

Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the United States (1). The prevalence of adult cigarette smoking has declined in recent years to 14.0% in 2017 (2). However, an array of new tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, has entered the U.S. market (3). To assess recent national estimates of tobacco product use among U.S. adults aged ≥18 years, CDC, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the National Cancer Institute analyzed data from the 2018 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS). In 2018, an estimated 49.1 million U.S. adults (19.7%) reported currently using any tobacco product, including cigarettes (13.7%), cigars (3.9%), e-cigarettes (3.2%), smokeless tobacco (2.4%), and pipes* (1.0%). Most tobacco product users (83.8%) reported using combustible products (cigarettes, cigars, or pipes), and 18.8% reported using two or more tobacco products. The prevalence of any current tobacco product use was higher in males; adults aged ≤65 years; non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaska Natives; those with a General Educational Development certificate (GED); those with an annual household income <$35,000; lesbian, gay, or bisexual adults; uninsured adults; those with a disability or limitation; and those with serious psychological distress. The prevalence of e-cigarette and smokeless tobacco use increased during 2017-2018. During 2009-2018, there were significant increases in all three cigarette cessation indicators (quit attempts, recent cessation, and quit ratio). Implementing comprehensive population-based interventions in coordination with regulation of the manufacturing, marketing, and distribution of all tobacco products can reduce tobacco-related disease and death in the United States (1,4).

FIGURE 1

Prevalence of daily and nondaily use of selected tobacco products among adults aged ≥18 years who currently use each tobacco product — National Health Interview Survey, United States, 2018 * Smoking cigarettes every day at the time of the survey among persons who reported having smoked ≥100 cigarettes during their lifetime or use of e-cigarettes, cigars, or smokeless tobacco every day at the time of survey. ^† Smoking cigarettes on some days at the time of survey among persons who reported having smoked ≥100 cigarettes during their lifetime or use of e-cigarettes, cigars, or smokeless tobacco on some days at the time of survey. ^§ Daily use estimates for pipe use were unstable (relative standard error >30%; neither daily use nor nondaily use is presented.

FIGURE 2

Prevalence of past-year quit attempts and recent cessation and quit ratio among cigarette smokers aged ≥18 years — National Health Interview Survey, United States, 2009–2018 * Percentage of current cigarette smokers who reported they stopped smoking for >1 day during the past 12 months because they were trying to quit smoking and former smokers who quit during the past year. ^† Percentage of former cigarette smokers who quit smoking for ≥6 months during the past year, among current smokers who smoked for ≥2 years and former smokers who quit during the past year. ^§ Percentage of persons who ever smoked (≥100 cigarettes during lifetime) who have quit smoking.