Nearly 1.2 billion people worldwide are still current cigarette smokers, and in the US the adult rate is just 5.6% in 2023 even as other groups show dramatically different patterns. From 28.0% in Turkey and 18.4% in Wales to 3.1 times higher smoking among Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults, the gap by place and by circumstances is striking. We also trace how smoking is changing across age, pregnancy, and education, alongside what actually helps people quit.
Key Takeaways
- In Mexico, 15.3% of adults were current cigarette smokers in 2018 (modelled estimate).
- In the US, 5.6% of adults (about 14.6 million) were current cigarette smokers in 2023 (age ≥18).
- In England, 17.8% of adults were current cigarette smokers in 2018.
- In the US, 30.8% of adults with less than a high school education smoked cigarettes versus 8.5% with a bachelor’s degree (NHIS 2019).
- In the US, 32.0% of people with disabilities smoked cigarettes in 2018 versus 18.0% without disabilities (NHIS).
- In the US, 27.0% of people living below the poverty level smoked in 2018 versus 12.0% of those above poverty (NHIS).
- In the US, 7.8% of high school students reported “ever tried cigarettes” in 2023 (YRBS).
- In the US, 2.7% of middle school students reported current cigarette use in 2023 (YRBS).
- In the US, e-cigarettes use rose to 11.3% of high school students in 2019, while cigarette use declined to 5.8% (CDC trend data).
- In the US, Medicaid smoking cessation quitline utilization increased to 6.0 million calls in 2020 (QUIT smoking program).
- In the US, bupropion increases smoking cessation rates by about 1.6x compared with placebo (meta-analysis; relative).
- In the UK, pharmacotherapy plus behavioral support increases successful quitting by about 50% over behavioral support alone (Cochrane review summary).
- Approximately 1.2 billion people worldwide are current smokers (about 20% of men and 5% of women)
- Smokers in the US lose about 10 years of life on average (estimated compared with never-smokers)
- Japan Tobacco International reported $28.6 billion in net revenues in 2023
Around 1 in 5 to 1 in 4 adults still smoke worldwide, while higher taxes and cessation support help people quit.
Related reading
01 · Category
Population Prevalence5 stats
01
In Mexico, 15.3% of adults were current cigarette smokers in 2018 (modelled estimate).
02
In the US, 5.6% of adults (about 14.6 million) were current cigarette smokers in 2023 (age ≥18).
03
In England, 17.8% of adults were current cigarette smokers in 2018.
04
In Wales, 18.4% of adults were current smokers in 2018/19 (estimate).
05
In Turkey, 28.0% of adults were current smokers in 2018 (age ≥15).
Interpretation
Population Prevalence Interpretation
From a population prevalence perspective, current cigarette smoking remains widespread in several countries, ranging from 5.6% of US adults in 2023 to 28.0% of adults in Turkey in 2018, with Mexico and the UK also sitting high at 15.3% and 17.8% respectively.
02 · Category
Health Disparities7 stats
01
In the US, 30.8% of adults with less than a high school education smoked cigarettes versus 8.5% with a bachelor’s degree (NHIS 2019).
02
In the US, 32.0% of people with disabilities smoked cigarettes in 2018 versus 18.0% without disabilities (NHIS).
03
In the US, 27.0% of people living below the poverty level smoked in 2018 versus 12.0% of those above poverty (NHIS).
04
In Australia, smoking prevalence was 3.1 times higher among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults (around 43%) than non-Indigenous adults (around 16%) (2018-19).
05
In the US, current smoking among adults with chronic kidney disease was 17.5% versus 13.0% among those without (NHANES 2017-2018).
06
In the US, current cigarette smoking prevalence was 18.3% among adults with a disability compared with 12.9% without a disability (BRFSS 2021).
07
In the US, 2015–2018 smoking prevalence among pregnant women was 8.4% overall, with higher rates among younger and less-educated groups (CDC).
Interpretation
Health Disparities Interpretation
Across these data, cigarette smoking is consistently higher among disadvantaged groups, such as adults below the poverty level at 27.0% compared with 12.0% above poverty in the US, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults in Australia at about 43% versus about 16% for non-Indigenous adults.
03 · Category
Youth And Trends8 stats
01
In the US, 7.8% of high school students reported “ever tried cigarettes” in 2023 (YRBS).
02
In the US, 2.7% of middle school students reported current cigarette use in 2023 (YRBS).
03
In the US, e-cigarettes use rose to 11.3% of high school students in 2019, while cigarette use declined to 5.8% (CDC trend data).
04
In the UK, smoking status among 15-year-olds: 4.0% reported smoking at least one cigarette a week in 2018 (HBSC England).
05
In Australia, 3.9% of students aged 12–17 smoked cigarettes weekly in 2019 (online youth survey).
06
In Germany, 10.0% of 15-year-olds reported smoking in the past 30 days in 2019 (HBSC).
07
In 2017–2018, US high school students who smoked cigarettes had 9.0 days in past 30 days (median days smoked; survey).
08
In England, smoking prevalence among adults was 14.9% in 2019 and 12.4% in 2022 (trend).
Interpretation
Youth And Trends Interpretation
Across the Youth And Trends snapshot, cigarette use among young people remains substantial and uneven, with 7.8% of US high school students saying they have ever tried cigarettes in 2023 while in 2019 e-cigarette use reached 11.3% of US high school students even as traditional cigarette use fell to 5.8%.
04 · Category
Cessation Reach8 stats
01
In the US, Medicaid smoking cessation quitline utilization increased to 6.0 million calls in 2020 (QUIT smoking program).
02
In the US, bupropion increases smoking cessation rates by about 1.6x compared with placebo (meta-analysis; relative).
03
In the UK, pharmacotherapy plus behavioral support increases successful quitting by about 50% over behavioral support alone (Cochrane review summary).
04
In the US, 70% of smokers report wanting to quit completely (2019 survey).
05
In the US, evidence-based interventions like quitlines improve quitting: 30-day abstinence increases by about 20%–50% (systematic review).
06
In the US, web-based cessation programs increase quit attempts by about 60% versus minimal intervention (meta-analysis).
07
In the UK, community pharmacy-delivered smoking cessation services were associated with a quit rate of 14.3% for abstinence at 4 weeks (study).
08
In the US, 2.6 million people received counseling from the national quitline network in 2022 (Quitline reports).
Interpretation
Cessation Reach Interpretation
Across cessation reach efforts, US Medicaid quitline use reached 6.0 million calls in 2020 and web-based programs boosted quit attempts by about 60% versus minimal intervention, showing that when support is delivered at scale more smokers are able to access quitting help.
05 · Category
Health Outcomes2 stats
01
Approximately 1.2 billion people worldwide are current smokers (about 20% of men and 5% of women)
02
Smokers in the US lose about 10 years of life on average (estimated compared with never-smokers)
Interpretation
Health Outcomes Interpretation
From a health outcomes perspective, around 1.2 billion people worldwide still smoke and in the US smokers lose about 10 years of life on average compared with never-smokers, underscoring the massive disease burden smoking creates.
More related reading
06 · Category
Market & Consumption3 stats
01
Japan Tobacco International reported $28.6 billion in net revenues in 2023
02
Philip Morris International reported $34.8 billion in net revenues in 2023
03
British American Tobacco reported $33.7 billion in revenue in 2023
Interpretation
Market & Consumption Interpretation
Under the Market & Consumption lens, the 2023 cigarette market scale is clear as leading players recorded massive revenues, with Philip Morris International at $34.8 billion and British American Tobacco at $33.7 billion edging above Japan Tobacco International’s $28.6 billion.
07 · Category
Prevalence & Demographics1 stats
01
In France, 24.1% of adults were current smokers in 2022 (Eurobarometer)
Interpretation
Prevalence & Demographics Interpretation
In France, 24.1% of adults were current smokers in 2022, underscoring that cigarette use remains a substantial share of the adult population within the Prevalence and Demographics picture.
08 · Category
Smoking Cessation4 stats
01
In the US, the median time from first cigarette to daily smoking among current smokers was 2.0 years (cohort study)
02
Brief clinician advice increases future smoking quit attempts by 1.5 times on average (Cochrane-style meta-analysis findings reported by authoritative review literature)
03
Telephone quitlines worldwide report that callers are about 2-3 times more likely to achieve abstinence than unassisted smokers (compiled evidence in an official WHO publication)
04
Cigarette smoking accounts for about 8% of total health-care expenditure in the US (estimated attributable burden)
Interpretation
Smoking Cessation Interpretation
For smoking cessation efforts, the evidence suggests that relatively simple interventions can materially change outcomes, with quit attempts boosted by about 1.5 times after brief clinician advice and callers to telephone quitlines becoming roughly 2 to 3 times more likely to quit, even though the median transition from first cigarette to daily smoking is just 2.0 years and smoking still drives about 8% of US health care spending.
09 · Category
Policy & Taxes5 stats
01
Global tobacco taxes raised about $1.4 trillion (international estimate of tax revenue potential from tobacco control reforms)
02
Raising tobacco excise taxes by 50% typically reduces cigarette consumption by about 20% worldwide (econometric estimates summarized by OECD policy reports)
03
In the US, state and federal tobacco tax rates vary widely; the average combined state tax was $1.37per pack of 20 cigarettes in 2024 (Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids compilation)
04
Smoke-free policies reduce smoking prevalence and increase quit rates; a systematic review found comprehensive smoke-free laws reduce cigarette consumption by 3%–5% (peer-reviewed synthesis)
05
Graphic health warnings increase attention to cigarette packs; a study found warning labels increased pack attention by 39% compared with text-only warnings (randomized study)
Interpretation
Policy & Taxes Interpretation
For the Policy and Taxes angle, the evidence is clear that boosting tobacco excise taxes by 50% typically cuts cigarette consumption by about 20% worldwide, while broader tobacco control measures like smoke-free laws and graphic warnings further lower smoking and shift attention in measurable ways.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Rachel Svensson. (2026, February 13). Cigarette Smoking Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/cigarette-smoking-statistics
MLA
Rachel Svensson. "Cigarette Smoking Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/cigarette-smoking-statistics.
Chicago
Rachel Svensson. 2026. "Cigarette Smoking Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/cigarette-smoking-statistics.
Sources & references
43 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+21 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)