Health

The Cigarette Smoking Rate In The US Has Hit A Record Low

The rate is down to 14 percent, compared to more than 40 percent when the CDC first started tracking it in 1965.

The Cigarette Smoking Rate In The US Has Hit A Record Low
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The rate of adults smoking cigarettes in the U.S. is the lowest it's ever been, according to new data from the CDC

It's down to 14 percent, compared to more than 40 percent when the CDC first counted in the 1960s.

Experts say it's likely due in part to recent public health initiatives, like smoke-free policies and higher tobacco prices.

Still, the report showed that 47 million Americans used some type of tobacco product in 2017 and that 9 million used two or more.

And even though e-cigarette use among adults went down slightly between 2016 and 2017, federal health officials are still concerned about an uptick in the teen vaping rate. 

E-cigarettes were originally marketed to help smokers transition from cigarettes, but they've spiked in popularity among young people. The FDA said earlier this year it's considering banning online e-cigarette sales to try to curb the trend. 

In its report, the CDC recommends implementing more intervention strategies geared toward the different types of tobacco products being used, like cigars, pipes, e-cigarettes and smokeless tobacco. 

Additional reporting from Newsy affiliate CNN