Top Stories from United States of America
19.3% of the adult population are current smokers
There are approximately 52.1 million current smokers in United States
22.9% of men are current smokers but only 15.8% of women
Country profile
Data sourced:
2022.
Page updated:
2025-01-07
Smoking in United States
The overall smoking prevalence in the United States has been decreasing since 2006. 12.4% of the adult population are current smokers, down from 20.8% in 2006. This means there are now approximately 30.7 million people smoking in the country. 13.81% of men smoke whilst 10.77% of women are current smokers.
The most recent data show there were 492,438 annual deaths attributable to tobacco smoking (approximately 221,600 women and 270,800 men). The annual percentage of all deaths attributable to tobacco smoking was 17.9% (women: 16.2%; and men: 19.3%).
Nicotine vapes (e-cigarettes) are legal in the United States and there are 9.1 million vapers in the country, giving an adult vaping prevalence of 3.7% (women: 2.77%; and men: 4.55%). Vaping devices can only be sold to those 18 and older and can be purchased without a prescription. Health warnings are required on packaging and there are legal restrictions on their use in public places.
Heated tobacco products are legal and can be marketed. Snus is also legal, but it can only be used by those aged 21 and older and a health warning on packaging is required.
Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) products can be marketed and are available to buy in many general shops without a prescription. The NRT market in the United States is worth €862.3 million.
For further information and full references, click through to the detailed datasheets above.
360,370
Deaths
360370 people die every year due to tobacco smoking in United States.
862.3 million €
Market size of NRT.
NRT market size is estimated to be 862.3 million €.
Nicotine Vaping Devices
in United States
In 2016, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced the "deeming" of e-cigarettes and other Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS) as tobacco products. It is therefore legal to sell and use e-cigarettes in the USA. The FDA operates under the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act of 2009, sometimes known as the TCA (Tobacco Control Act), and also acts under the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. The law requires age restrictions, a warning label, ingredients lists, and registration. Sale to those under 18 years is prohibited, and retailers must verify the age of customers under 27 years via photo ID before a sale is made. Some states have increased the minimum age to 21. Sale from vending machines is restricted to adult-only establishments. A pre-market approval process for e-cigarettes is mandated, which is considered by some harm reduction scientists to be onerous and to have the potential to radically reshape the market, reducing the choice of products available and forcing smaller e-cigarette companies to exit the market. The Child Nicotine Poisoning Prevention Act of 2015 requires packaging to be child-proof. Many states and some cities have additional laws covering e-cigarettes, such as dictating where they can be used, or, in the case of California, banning flavours outright. More recently, in summer 2019, the San Francisco city supervisors approved an ordinance prohibiting the sale, manufacture and distribution of tobacco products, including electronic cigarettes - this will include online sales delivered in the San Francisco area, and is set to be signed off by the mayor in June 2019, coming into force 7 months after that. In November 2018, the FDA announced that all flavoured e-cigarette products (other than tobacco, mint and menthol flavours or non-flavoured products) should be sold only in age-restricted, in-person locations, and, if sold online, under heightened practices for age verification. Proposals around banning flavours are still being considered by the FDA - and are hotly contested by harm reduction advocates. In August 2019, Michigan State announced that it will ban flavoured nicotine liquids/e-cigarettes, becoming the first state to do so. New guidance was issued in June 2019 about 'Premarket Tobacco Product Applications' (PMTA): manufacturers of e-cigarettes or other non-combustible tobacco products that were on the market as of August 8, 2016, must submit a PMTA by August 8, 2022. Any new products that manufacturers seek to market after August 8, 2016 must receive a marketing order from the FDA before they may be commercially marketed in the United States.
Heated Tobacco Products
in United States
In 2017, a total of 5.2% of U.S. adults were aware of heated tobacco products, including 9.9% of current cigarette smokers. Overall, 0.7% of U.S. adults, including 2.7% of current smokers, reported having ever used heated tobacco products. On 1st May 2019 the FDA approved sales of IQOS in the USA.
Nicotine Replacement Therapy
in United States
NRT is legal to market.
Snus
in United States
Used in Scandinavia for more than 200 years, snus is providing smokers in Sweden and Norway with an alternative to combustible cigarettes. Find out what it is, and why it is considered a safer nicotine product in our briefing paper.
Pouches
in United States
Nicotine pouches are a relatively new product which can provide users of high-risk tobacco with an alternative that poses fewer risks to their health. Read more about nicotine pouches in our briefing paper
The GSTHR database is updated regularly by our team.
However, please be aware that the information we provide does not constitute legal advice.
We cannot guarantee that the information is up to date or accurate, as the regulatory status of different product
categories can change at short notice and with little publicity.
If you wish to check the legal status of use or possession of any safer nicotine product in a specific country or region,
you should verify the information independently.
If you have reason to think that the information supplied on the GSTHR is inaccurate, please contact us with details
and any references and we will rectify any errors.