Vital Signs: Current Cigarette Smoking Among Adults Aged ≥ 18 Years—United States, 2005–2010

September 9, 2011 / Vol. 60 / No. 35

MMWR Highlights

Cigarette Smoking Prevalence Among Adults (2005–2010)

• Nearly 1 in 5 adults (45.3 million) smokes. Among all adults, smoking declined from 20.9% in 2005 to 19.3% in 2010.
• Among adult daily smokers, the percentage who smokes 30 or more cigarettes per day dropped from 13% in 2005 to 8% in 2010.
• Half of adults who continue to smoke will die from smoking-related causes.

Percentage of Adults who were Current Smokers (2010)

By Racial/Ethnic Groups

• 31.4% Non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaska Native
• 25.9% Non-Hispanic multiple race
• 21.0% Non-Hispanic white
• 20.6% Non-Hispanic black
• 12.5% Hispanic
• 9.2% Non-Hispanic Asian

By Gender

• 21.5% men
• 17.3% women

By Education

• 25.1% Less than high school
• 45.2% GED
• 23.8% High school graduate
• 23.2% Some college
• 18.8% Associate degree
• 9.9% Undergraduate degree
• 6.3% Postgraduate degree

By Income Status

• 28.9% Below Poverty Level
• 18.3% At/Above Level