New research published in NEJM Evidence finds tobacco use continued to decline among adults in the United States from 2023 to 2024. The decline in cigarette smoking from 10.8% in 2023 to 9.9% in 2024 marked the first time that the prevalence of cigarette smoking among U.S. adults reached single digits. This aligns with progress toward the Healthy People 2030 goal of 6.1% and indicates that the goal may be met or exceeded by 2030. However, the rise in smokeless tobacco and e-cigarette use and lack of change in cigar use suggest that tobacco control approaches are not universally successful. In this study, drawn from 2023 and 2024 National Health Interview Survey data, the author observes that routine public reporting of adult smoking prevalence has been interrupted, creating gaps in the continuity of federal tobacco surveillance.
