Cigarette smoking rates continue to drop

Adult smokers in the United States are smoking fewer cigarettes, according to a report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The proportion of smokers who said they smoked 30 or more cigarettes daily fell from 13 percent to 8 percent according to CDC data for 2005-2010. Also, smokers said they were smoking nine or fewer cigarettes daily, a jump from 16 percent to 22 percent. The number of adult smokers also decreased from 21 percent to 19 percent, representing nearly three million fewer smokers.

Even as smoking prevalence has decreased overall, the data vary with ethnicity, age, education level, and other factors. Prevalence was lowest among Hispanics (13 percent), Asians (nine percent), seniors (10 percent), those with a graduate degree (six percent), and residents of the West (16 percent).

The prevalence was highest among American Indians/Alaska Natives (32 percent), adults aged 25-44 years (22 percent), General Education Development (GED) certificate recipients (45 percent), and residents of the Midwest (22 percent). In addition, 18.3 percent of those at or above the poverty level smoke, compared with 29 percent of those below the poverty level.

Although smoking appears to be decreasing nationwide, the CDC said the rates have decreased more slowly in the past 5 years.

In addition to increased financial support for antismoking initiatives, the CDC recommends that more states place higher taxes on tobacco products and increase smoke-free policies.

The analysis does not include data for underage smokers.