Millions of Americans still use tobacco products, despite risks
Research we're watching
Still smoking? You're not alone, the CDC reported in November. One in five Americans was still using tobacco products as of 2015.
Some 42 million American adults — more than 87% of the nearly 49 million tobacco product users nationwide — reported smoking cigarettes, cigars, or pipes (including hookahs and water pipes), according to data from the National Health Interview Survey, which has been studying American's smoking habits since 1965. The remaining tobacco users chose e-cigarettes, chewing tobacco, snuff, dip, snus, and dissolvable tobacco.
Some 9.5 million Americans use two or more tobacco products each day, most commonly cigarettes, followed by e-cigarettes.
"These results make clear that more action is needed to reduce the disease and death caused by cigarette use — and the FDA has announced a comprehensive approach to do just that," said FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb. In hopes of combating the problem, the FDA will focus on several strategies including regulating nicotine content in cigarettes and developing less-harmful products.
If you're a tobacco user and need help quitting, call 1-800-QUIT-NOW or go to www.smokefree.gov.
Disclaimer:
As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Please note the date of last review or update on all articles.
No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.
