Current Cigarette Smoking Among Adults—United States, 2005–2012

January 17, 2014 / Vol. 63 / No. 02

MMWR Highlights

Cigarette Smoking Among Adults by Age

• In 2012, the percentage of adults aged 18–24 years who smoked was 17.3%.
• In 2012, the percentage of adults aged 25–44 years who smoked was 21.6%.
• In 2012, the percentage of adults aged 45–64 years who smoked was 19.5%.
• In 2012, the percentage of adults aged 65 years or older who smoked was 8.9%.
  
  

Cigarette Smoking Among Adults by Race/Ethnicity

• In 2012, the percentage of non-Hispanic white adults who smoked was 19.7%.
• In 2012, the percentage of non-Hispanic black adults who smoked was 18.1%.
• In 2012, the percentage of Hispanic adults who smoked was 12.5%.
• In 2012, the percentage of non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaska Native adults who smoked was 21.8%.
• In 2012 the percentage of non-Hispanic Asian adults who smoked was 10.7%.
  
  

Cigarette Smoking Among Adults by Education Level

• In 2012, the percentage of adults with less than a high school diploma was 24.7%.
• In 2012, the percentage of adults with a high school equivalency degree who smoked was 41.9%.
• In 2012, the percentage of adults with a high school diploma who smoked was 25.1%.
• In 2012, the percentage of adults with an undergraduate college degree who smoked was 9.1%.
• In 2012, the percentage of adults with a graduate degree who smoked was 5.9%.
  
  

Cigarette Smoking Among Adults by Household Income

• In 2012, the percentage of adults with an income at or above the poverty line who smoked was 17.0%.
• In 2012, the percentage of adults with an income below the poverty line who smoked was 27.9%.
  
  

Cigarette Smoking Among Adults by U.S. Region

• In 2012, the percentage of adults in the Northeast who smoked was 16.5%.
• In 2012, the percentage of adults in the Midwest who smoked was 20.6%.
• In 2012, the percentage of adults in the South who smoked was 19.7%.
• In 2012, the percentage of adults in the West who smoked was 14.2%.