Per capita cigarette consumption in the United States has decreased in recent years, with smokers in 2015 consuming an average of 1,078 cigarettes per capita. In total, there were around 267 billion cigarettes consumed in the U.S. that year. Cigarette consumption in the U.S. has decreased due to public policies limiting where people can smoke, higher taxes on cigarettes, and increased awareness by the general public of the health risks associated with smoking.
Smokers in the U.S.
Even though cigarette consumption has decreased, there are still around 38 million people in the U.S. who regularly smoke cigarettes. This is around 15.5 percent of the entire population. However, in the year 2000, 23 percent of the population smoked, a significant difference from present day figures. Smoking remains more common among males than females and rates of smoking among adolescents have decreased.
Health risks
Smoking has been proven to increase the risk of a variety of diseases and is the leading cause of preventable death in the U.S. Smoking harms almost every organ in the body and increases a person’s chance of developing lung cancer, heart disease, and stroke. For example, men who smoke are 25 times more likely to develop lung cancer than men who don’t smoke. Furthermore, around 81 percent of all deaths from lung, bronchus and trachea cancer can be attributed to cigarette smoking.
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CDC. (December 9, 2016). Per capita cigarette consumption in the United States from 1900 to 2015 [Graph]. In ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ. Retrieved July 26, 2026, from /statistics/261576/cigarette-consumption-per-adult-in-the-us/
CDC. "Per capita cigarette consumption in the United States from 1900 to 2015." Chart. December 9, 2016. ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ. Accessed July 26, 2026. /statistics/261576/cigarette-consumption-per-adult-in-the-us/
CDC. (2016). Per capita cigarette consumption in the United States from 1900 to 2015. ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ. ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ Inc.. Accessed: July 26, 2026. /statistics/261576/cigarette-consumption-per-adult-in-the-us/
CDC. "Per Capita Cigarette Consumption in The United States from 1900 to 2015." ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ, ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ Inc., 9 Dec 2016, /statistics/261576/cigarette-consumption-per-adult-in-the-us/
CDC, Per capita cigarette consumption in the United States from 1900 to 2015 ÌÇÐÄÆÆ½â°æ, /statistics/261576/cigarette-consumption-per-adult-in-the-us/ (last visited July 26, 2026)
Per capita cigarette consumption in the United States from 1900 to 2015 [Graph], CDC, December 9, 2016. [Online]. Available: /statistics/261576/cigarette-consumption-per-adult-in-the-us/