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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion
Office on Smoking and Health
Tel: 1-800-CDC-INFO
(1-800-232-4636)
TTY: 1-888-232-6348
E-mail: tobaccoinfo@cdc.gov
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Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Reports (MMWRs)
Cigarette Smoking Among Adults—United States, 2001
October 10, 2003 / Vol. 52 / No. 40
MMWR Highlights
- In 2001, 46.2 million adults (22.8 percent) in the United States were
current smokers—25.2 percent of men and 20.7 percent of women.
- Among racial and ethnic groups, smoking prevalence was highest among American
Indians/Alaska Natives (32.7 percent) and lowest among Hispanics (16.7 percent)
and Asians (12.4 percent).
- Among income groups, smoking prevalence was higher among adults living
below the poverty level (31.4 percent) than those at or above the poverty
level (23.0 percent).
- Smoking prevalence was highest among those aged 18–24 (26.9 percent) and
25–44 (25.8 percent) and lowest among those aged 65 and over (10.1 percent).
- Among current adult smokers, 37.8 million (81.8 percent) smoked every
day, and 8.4 million (18.2 percent) smoked some days.
- An estimated 44.7 million adults were former smokers in 2001, representing
49.2 percent of those who had ever smoked. An estimated 15.3 million adult
smokers had stopped smoking for at least 1 day during the preceding 12 months
because they were trying to quit.
- By education level, adults who had earned a General Educational Development
(GED) diploma (47.8 percent) and those with a grade 9–11 education (34.3 percent)
had the highest prevalence of smoking; those with master’s, professional,
and doctoral degrees had the lowest prevalence (9.5 percent).
- Smoking prevalence data from combined years 1965–1966 through 2000–2001
indicate a slow but steady decrease among both blacks and whites.
- In 2000–2001, for the first time, smoking prevalence among black men was
similar to that among white men. Since 1970–1974, prevalence has declined
more rapidly among black men than among white men.
- In 2000-2001, smoking prevalence also declined more rapidly among black
women than white women. Since 1993–1995, prevalence among black women has
been lower, except during 1997 to 1999, when no difference was observed. Before
1993–1995, current smoking prevalences among black and white women generally
were comparable, except during 1970–1974, when prevalence among white women
was lower.
- The overall decline in cigarette smoking prevalence in the adult U.S.
population is not occurring at a rate that will meet the national health objective
of 12 percent.
- In 2000, the Surgeon General concluded that the 2010 objective could be
attained only if comprehensive approaches to tobacco control were implemented.
Sustaining or increasing implementation of comprehensive tobacco-control programs
to meet the CDC-recommended funding levels are necessary to attain the 2010
national objective.
- Comprehensive programs that focus on reducing tobacco use among those
in different socioeconomic strata, racial/ethnic populations, and educational
levels could help reduce cigarette smoking and tobacco use in general and
reduce the extensive morbidity and mortality and economic costs associated
with tobacco use.
Page last reviewed 02/28/2007
Page last modified 02/28/2007