US smoking rates at record low

Editor's Note

Cigarette smoking rates in the US have dropped to the lowest level ever recorded, according to the November 9 Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

The smoking rate for adult smokers fell from 15.5% in 2016 to 14% in 2017, a rate 67% lower than it was in 1965.

The rate for young adults (18-24 years old) fell from 13% in 2016 to 10% in 2017.

The report found that one in five adults used a tobacco product in 2017, including smoked, smokeless, and electronic tobacco products. In adults with serious psychological distress, two in five used a tobacco product.

Of 47 million adults who use tobacco products, 19% use two or more, with the most common combination being cigarettes and e-cigarettes.