Tobacco use statistics
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Global Tobacco Use Statistics and Prevalence
Tobacco use remains a major public health issue worldwide, with significant variation in prevalence across countries, age groups, and types of tobacco products. Globally, the prevalence of smoking among adults in low- and middle-income countries is about 16.5%, with smokeless tobacco use at 7.7%. Some countries, like Ghana, report very low smoking rates (1.1%), while others, such as Kiribati, have rates exceeding 50%. Smokeless tobacco use can be extremely high in certain regions, such as Papua New Guinea, where daily use reaches 65.4% of adults. In many low- and middle-income countries, tobacco use is more common among men, those with lower education, less wealth, rural residents, and older adults .
Among adolescents aged 13-15 years worldwide, the most recent data show that 17.9% of boys and 11.5% of girls used any tobacco product at least once in the past 30 days. While cigarette smoking among adolescents has decreased in most countries, the use of other tobacco products has remained the same or increased in the majority of countries .
Tobacco Use in the United States: Trends and Demographics
In the United States, tobacco use among adults has gradually declined over the past decade, but remains significant. In 2020, about 19.0% of U.S. adults (47.1 million people) reported current use of any commercial tobacco product. This included 12.5% using cigarettes, 3.7% e-cigarettes, 3.5% cigars, 2.3% smokeless tobacco, and 1.1% pipes. Most tobacco users (79.6%) used combustible products, and 17.3% used two or more tobacco products .
Looking back, the prevalence of any tobacco use among U.S. adults was 19.7% in 2018, 19.3% in 2017, 20.1% in 2015, and 21.3% in 2012-2013. Cigarette smoking specifically declined from 14.0% in 2017 to 12.5% in 2020, while e-cigarette use increased slightly in recent years 13456.
Tobacco use in the U.S. is higher among men, adults under 65, non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaska Natives, those with lower income or education, uninsured or Medicaid-insured individuals, people with disabilities, and those experiencing psychological distress. Lesbian, gay, or bisexual adults also report higher tobacco use compared to heterosexual adults 1456. State-level prevalence varies widely, from as low as 14.1% in Utah to as high as 37.4% in Kentucky .
Patterns and Types of Tobacco Product Use
Tobacco use is not limited to cigarettes. In the U.S., cigars, e-cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, and pipes are also used, with some adults using multiple products. For example, in 2017, 19.0% of tobacco users reported using two or more products . Latent class analysis of U.S. adults shows that most users are daily exclusive cigarette smokers, but there are also groups who use multiple products occasionally, frequent e-products, or smokeless tobacco .
Globally, both smoked and smokeless tobacco products are used, with the type and frequency varying by country and demographic group .
Tobacco Use in Specific Regions
In Ethiopia, a study found that 20.2% of adults currently used tobacco, with 17.1% smoking and 9.7% using smokeless tobacco. Tobacco use was higher among men, older adults, those with lower education, heavy alcohol users, and people living in highland areas .
Conclusion
Tobacco use remains a significant health concern worldwide, with notable differences in prevalence by country, age, gender, socioeconomic status, and type of product. While cigarette smoking has generally declined, the use of other tobacco products is stable or increasing in many regions. Continued monitoring and targeted public health interventions are essential to further reduce tobacco use and its associated health risks 134567910.
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