Smoking in the U.S. Continues to Decrease  

Nicotine Addiction Is at an All-Time Low 

Smoking in the U.S. has hit another all-time low. About 14 percent of U.S adults were smokers last year, down from about 16 percent the year before, government figures show.

There had not been much change in the previous two years, but it has been clear that there is a general decline and the new figures show it’s continuing. According to an article by Fox News, the latest statistics released Tuesday mean there are still more than 30 million adult smokers in the U.S.

The decline has coincided with a greater understanding that smoking is a cause of cancer, heart disease, and other health problems. Anti-smoking campaigns, cigarette taxes, and smoking bans are combining to bring down adult smoking rates, experts say.

The launch of electronic cigarettes and their growing popularity has also likely played a role. E-cigarettes heat liquid nicotine into a vapor without the harmful by-products generated from burning tobacco. That makes them a potentially useful tool to help smokers quit, but some public health experts worry it also creates a new way for people to get addicted to nicotine.

There was no new information for adult use of e-cigarettes and vaping products, but 2016 figures put that at 3 percent of adults. The findings on adult smokers come from a national health survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. They interviewed 27,000 adults last year.

Article Source: Fox News 

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