Cigarette smoking among American adults fell to an all-time low last year, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The report, out Thursday, said 13.7% of adults smoked cigarettes in 2018, a dramatic drop from the 42% adult smoking rate in 1965, when the CDC began keeping records.
"This marked decline in cigarette smoking is the achievement of a consistent and coordinated effort by the public health community and our many partners," CDC Director Robert Redfield said. "Yet, our work is far from over."
Overall, the report found, nearly 1 in 5 or some 49 million U.S. adults used some form of tobacco product in 2018, with cigarettes being the most common.
While the number of cigarette smokers declined, the share of those using e-cigarettes jumped to 3.2% from 2.8% in 2017. That increase was attributed to young adults between the ages of 18 and 24.
The report found tobacco use was the highest among men; minorities, including those who are LGBTQ; people living in the Midwest or the South; and those earning less than $35,000 per year.
