Disparities in Adult Cigarette Smoking — United States, 2002–2005 and 2010–2013
Proven interventions, including increasing the price of tobacco products, coupled with evidence-based cessation services, comprehensive smoke-free policies, high-impact media campaigns, and promotion of cessation treatment in clinical settings, are effective strategies in reducing the prevalence of tobacco use and tobacco-related disease and death in all racial/ethnic populations. To assess the prevalence of, and changes in, cigarette smoking among persons ages ≥18 years in six racial/ethnic populations and 10 select subgroups in the U.S., CDC analyzed self-reported data collected during 2002–2005 and 2010–2013 from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health and compared differences between the two periods. During 2010–2013, the overall prevalence of cigarette smoking among the racial/ethnic populations and subgroups ranged from 38.9 percent for American Indian/American Nativesto 7.6 percent for Chinese and Asian Indians. Differences might be due, in part, to variations in socioeconomic status, acculturation, targeted advertising, price of tobacco products, and practices related to the acceptability of tobacco use across population groups. These findings highlight the importance of looking at tobacco use estimates by smaller racial/ethnic subgroups and by sex to better understand and address disparities in tobacco use among U.S. adults.