The number of American adults who regularly smoke cigarettes has fallen to a record low, according to a Centers for Disease Control report published Thursday.
The CDC found 34.2 million people or roughly 13.7% of U.S. adults in 2018 engaged in cigarette smoking — a drop from the previous year.
“This marked decline in cigarette smoking is the achievement of a consistent and coordinated effort by the public health community and our many partners,” Dr. Robert Redfield, CDC director, said in a statement.
“Yet, our work is far from over,” he continued. “The health benefits of quitting smoking are significant, and we are committed to educating Americans about the steps they can take to become tobacco-free.”
Cigarettes are still the number one cause of preventable death in the U.S., taking 480,000 lives each year.
The study also found a total 19.8% of adults use some form of tobacco product, be it cigarettes and/or other forms of tobacco, with 18.8% reporting they use two or more types of tobacco products.
While traditional cigarette use is on a downward trend, use of e-cigarettes rose from 2.8% of tobacco-product users in 2017 to 3.2% in 2018, mostly bolstered by sales to individuals in the 18-to-24 age demographic.
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