Smoking in the United States has fallen to its lowest level in recorded history, marking a major public health milestone even as concerns grow over potential setbacks to decades of progress.
According to recent data released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the adult smoking rate dropped to about 9 percent in 2025. The figure reflects a continued long-term decline that has seen cigarette use fall dramatically from about 42 percent of adults in the mid-1960s.
The CDC, based on a survey of more than 24,000 adults, defines a current smoker as someone who has smoked at least 100 cigarettes in their lifetime and continues to smoke either daily or occasionally.
Public health experts describe the sustained decline as one of the most significant achievements in modern preventive medicine, attributing the trend to a combination of higher tobacco taxes, increased cigarette prices, smoking bans in public spaces, public awareness campaigns, and changing social attitudes toward smoking.
In 2024, the smoking rate in the country fell below 10 percent for the first time, before declining further the following year.
Health advocates say the reduction represents millions of lives potentially saved, given the strong links between smoking and major illnesses such as lung cancer, heart disease, and stroke. Smoking remains the leading cause of preventable death in the United States.
Federal anti-tobacco initiatives have played a key role in the decline. One widely recognised campaign, “Tips From Former Smokers,” is credited with helping more than one million Americans quit smoking and saving billions of dollars in healthcare costs over the years.
While traditional cigarette use continues to fall, the use of electronic cigarettes has remained relatively stable. Recent estimates place adult vaping rates at around 7 percent, a trend that health officials continue to monitor due to ongoing uncertainty about the long-term effects of e-cigarette use.
However, the progress in reducing smoking rates has been accompanied by concern among public health stakeholders over recent policy changes affecting tobacco-control programmes. Reports indicate that restructuring within the CDC led to the elimination of its Office on Smoking and Health, as well as the discontinuation of some national anti-smoking campaigns.
Public health advocates warn that weakening institutional support for tobacco-control efforts could threaten the gains achieved over several decades. They argue that sustained funding and coordinated policy action are necessary to maintain the downward trend in smoking rates.
Organisations involved in tobacco prevention have also called for renewed investment in cessation programmes and public education campaigns, stressing that continued progress depends on consistent government commitment.
Experts say that while reaching a historic low is a significant achievement, maintaining and further reducing smoking rates will require ongoing policy support, public awareness efforts, and access to cessation resources.
The milestone, they note, highlights both the success of long-term public health strategy and the fragility of progress without sustained institutional backing.
