American Lung Association Celebrates Decline in Smoking Rates, Raises Concern About Tobacco Use Rates Staying Same

Last week, the New England Journal of Medicine released an article, “Tobacco Product Use among U.S. Adults, 2023–2024,” which shows a decline in smoking rates in the U.S. In response to this article, Harold Wimmer, President and CEO of the American Lung Association, released this statement:

“The American Lung Association is very pleased to see adult cigarette smoking rates have dropped below 10% for the first time in the National Health Interview Survey, the main federal survey measuring tobacco use among adults. The new study in NEJM evidence shows a decline from 10.8% in 2023 to 9.9% in 2024 using data from the National Health Interview Survey. This progress highlights the success of the country’s collective efforts to prevent and reduce smoking through 2024. 

“However, according to the study, overall adult tobacco use rates remained unchanged from 2023, at 18.8% in 2024. This means that growth in the use of other tobacco products offset the progress on reducing cigarette smoking. It is imperative that federal tobacco prevention and reduction efforts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention be rebuilt to counter this trend, and that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration continue to comprehensively oversee all tobacco products.   

 “The American Lung Association is here to help everyone who uses tobacco products quit once and for all. Learn more at Lung.org/quit-smoking.”