This graph demonstrates trends in smoking among adults in the U.S. between 1955 and 2005 (CDC, 1999, 2006). Since 1990, the smoking prevalence among men and women has experienced only a slight decline, compared to previous decades, highlighting a need for enhanced tobacco control efforts. In 2005, results of the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) indicated that approximately 45.1 million adults (20.9% of the U.S. adult population) are current smokers1 (CDC, 2006). Of these, 80.8% smoke every day and 19.2% smoke some days (CDC, 2006). More men (23.9%) than women (18.1%) are current smokers.

An estimated 70% of all smokers want to quit completely (CDC, 2002). In 2005, approximately 19.2 million (42.5%) of current smokers stopped smoking at least 1 day during the past 12 months because they were trying to quit (CDC, 2006). In 2005, an estimated 46.5 million adults were former smokers, 2 representing 50.8% of persons who had ever smoked (CDC, 2006).

Note to instructor(s): Cessation statistics vary depending on factors such as the duration of follow-up, definitions of abstinence, and whether reports of cessation were biologically confirmed. According to the CDC (2002), 4.7% of smokers who had smoked every day or some days during the past year had quit and were able to maintain abstinence for 3–12 months in 2000.

¹Current smokers: persons who reported having smoked 100 or more cigarettes during their lifetime and who smoked every day or some days at the time of the interview.
²Former smokers: persons who reported having smoked 100 or more cigarettes during their lifetime but currently did not smoke.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (1999). Achievements in public health, 1900–1999: Tobacco use—United States, 1900–1999. MMWR 48:986–993.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2002). Cigarette smoking among adults—United States, 2000. MMWR 51:642–645.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2006). Tobacco use among adults—United States, 2005. MMWR 55:1145–1148.

Slide is used with permission, Rx for Change: Clinician-Assisted Tobacco Cessation. Copyright © 1999-2007 The Regents of the University of California, University of Southern California, and Western University of Health Sciences. All rights reserved.