In the United States, the latest Gallup data suggests smoking and vaping rates remain low and steady.
WASHINGTON — According to research consultancy and pollster Gallup, the rate of smoking in the United States remains constant and steady near its lowest point. That means that 16 percent of the U.S. adults who currently say they have smoked cigarettes in the past week is statistically the same as the “15 [percent] record low in 2019.”
“Gallup has tracked Americans’ cigarette use since 1944, including annual measures in most years since 1985,” reports Gallup research consultant Megan Brenan in an August 12, 2021, article. “Between 1944 and 1974, at least 40% of U.S. adults said they had smoked any cigarettes within the past week, including a high of 45% in 1954.”
- 16 percent say they had smoked cigarettes in the past week, near the record low of 15 percent that was reported in 2019.
- 6 percent say they have vaped and used an electronic cigarette in the past week, including 17 percent of 18 to 29-year-olds.
- 72 percent of smokers would like to give up smoking altogether.
“Americans’ self-reported use of cigarettes has fallen sharply over the past two decades and remains near its lowest point on record,” notes Brenan.
“Fewer Americans smoke; an increasing number have never smoked; and most of those who do smoke use less than one pack of cigarettes a day. Furthermore, the broad majority of smokers would like to quit smoking, and recent Gallup trends indicate that about one-quarter of U.S. adults are former smokers who have successfully quit.”
Smoking is still the leading cause of preventable death in the United States and it kills more than 480,000 Americans per year. The US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention also reports that smoking claims tobacco use causes more than 7 million deaths per year. The CDC also notes that vaping is less harmful than cigarette smoking while noting that there are other ways to quit smoking that are considered safer.
“The appeal of vaping to young Americans is particularly concerning, given that it can still cause serious negative health effects,” Brenan concludes.
‘Given that it can still cause serious negative health effects’ ~ Megan Brenan.
I’d like to see her show some sound data on that.
But ‘can’ is not ‘will’, is it Megan?