US adult smoking rate fell during first year of pandemic
By MIKE STOBBE
AP Medical Writer
NEW YORK (AP) — The first year of the pandemic saw fewer Americans smoking. U.S. cigarette smoking dropped to a new all-time low in 2020, with 1 in 8 adults saying they were current smokers. That’s according to survey data released Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Adult e-cigarette use also dropped. Outside experts said tobacco company price hikes and pandemic lifestyle changes likely played roles. It’s the latest drop in a gradual decline that’s been going on for more than half a century. In 1965, 42% of U.S. adults were smokers.
