1 in 5 Still Smoke, but They're Smoking Less

The percentage of people who smoke remained essentially unchanged from 2010 to 2011, but over time the prevalence of heavy smoking declined significantly, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Overall, 19% of U.S. adults described themselves as smokers in 2011, down just a hair from 19.3% in 2010, but among those who self-described as daily or heavy smokers, the proportion who said they smoked 30 or more cigarettes a day decreased by more than 25% since 2005 (12.6% to 9.1%).

State-level funding for tobacco-control programs fell well short of CDC recommendations, as described in the November 9 issue of MMWR: Morbidity & Mortality Weekly Report.

"Despite increases in excise tax revenue, state funding for tobacco control programs has actually decreased during the past 5 years," reported Israel Agaku, DMD, of the CDC Office on Smoking and Health in Atlanta, and colleagues.

"Full implementation of comprehensive tobacco control programs at CDC-recommended funding levels might result in a substantial reduction in tobacco-related disease and death and billions of dollars in savings from averted medical costs and lost productivity," they said.

Coinciding with the 37th annual Great American Smokeout on Nov. 15, the report emphasized the ongoing health and economic burdens of smoking: 443,000 deaths annually as a result of smoking-related illness; $96 billion in direct medical expenses; and $97 billion in lost productivity.

Action Points

Tobacco use remained unchanged from 2010 to 2011, although the prevalence of heavy smoking has declined significantly, according to the CDC.
Note that state-level funding for tobacco-control programs fell well short of CDC recommendations.

Data from the CDC's 2011 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) provided the basis for the report. Involving a sample of 33,014 adults, the NHIS showed no significant difference in smoking prevalence between 2010 and 2011. Smokers were defined as individuals who had smoked at least 100 cigarettes in their lifetimes and continued to smoke every day or on some days.

Of the estimated 43.8 million smokers in 2011, 34.1 million (77.8%) smoked every day. The 19% total prevalence included 21.6% of men and 16.5% of women. Smoking prevalence was highest among non-Hispanic American Indians/Alaska Natives (31.5%) and among people ages 25 to 44 (22.1%) and lowest among non-Hispanic Asians (9.9%) and adults ≥65 (7.9%).

Smoking Facts and Tobacco Statistics 1) There are 1.1 billion smokers in the world today, and if current trends continue, that number is expected to increase to 1.6 billion by the year 2025.

2) China is home to 300 million smokers who consume approximately 1.7 trillion cigarettes a year, or 3 million cigarettes a minute.