U.S. Adult Cigarette Smoking Rate Drops to Record Low of 9% in 2025

U.S. adults fell to 9% in 2025, according to preliminary findings released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the week of May 24-30 2026. The survey recorded responses from more than 24,200 adults and defined current smoking as having smoked at least 100 cigarettes in a lifetime and now smoking every day or some days.

U.S. adults were smokers. The rate has declined steadily for decades because of cigarette taxes, tobacco product price increases, smoking bans, public education campaigns and shifts in the social acceptability of smoking in public.

In 2024 the share of current adult smokers dropped below 10% for the first time. S. adults remained about steady in 2025 at roughly 7%. ” Richardson said the Trump administration eliminated the CDC’s Office on Smoking and Health and ended the “Tips from Former Smokers” advertising campaign.

3 billion in healthcare costs. Cigarette smoking is a risk factor for lung cancer, heart disease and stroke and has long been considered the leading cause of preventable death.