U.S. smoking rate dips below 10% for first time, a six-decade public health milestone

U.S. adult smoking rate fell to 9.9% in 2024, the first time it has dropped under 10% in the National Health Interview Survey era, marking a six-decade decline from 42.4% in 1965 thanks to warnings, bans, tax increases, smoke-free laws, FDA oversight, and cessation programs that together saved millions of lives. However, smoking remains concentrated among disadvantaged groups, vaping persists at about 7% of adults, and federal CDC funding cuts threaten future progress. Globally, tobacco kills about 7 million people annually, with the potential to rise to 10 million by 2030.