New Data on the State of Smoking in 2025

Although smoking rates have gone down over the past decades, tobacco remains a key national public health issue. According to the FDA, nearly one out of every five U.S. adults report using tobacco products, as does one of every ten high school students, according to the CDC. Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of Retail Health at CVS Health, Dr. David Fairchild joined us to talk about the current state of tobacco use in the United States and resources to help Americans quit. The beginning of April marks efforts to reduce tobacco product use, and 10 years ago, CVS pharmacy made the bold move to become the first and only national retailer to stop selling tobacco products in its stores. Within the first year of their 2014 decision to stop selling tobacco products, there were 100 million fewer cigarette packs sold in the U.S. More than a decade later, CVS Pharmacy is still the only national retailer that doesn't sell tobacco. They have also never sold vapes, e-cigarettes, or nicotine pouches in any of their retail locations. They continue to be a leader in supporting Americans during every step of their quitting journey because they know there is still work to do. CVS Health recently conducted a survey to understand the current smoking landscape in America. They found that 77% of U.S. Gen Z and young adults ages 18 to 28 said they currently use e-cigarettes and vapes and nearly half report using cigarettes. Smoking remains the number one cause of preventable disease and death in the U.S. According to their survey, 67% of U.S. Gen Z and young adults say the biggest challenges teens face when trying to quit using nicotine are stress, anxiety or mental health struggles. Half said they don't know where to access support programs. But counseling and medication can more than double a tobacco user's chance of successfully quitting. CVS Health's MinuteClinic offers smoking and vaping cessation programs that cater to individuals' needs. These programs are available both in-person and virtually. In addition, smoking cessation products, such as gum and lozenges designed to help curb nicotine cravings, are available in CVS Pharmacy stores and online at cvs.com. CVS continues its mission to create a tobacco-free generation. The decision they made in 2014 had a powerful public health impact by disrupting access to cigarettes and helping more of their customers be healthier. In fact, the survey found that 70% of U.S. Gen Z and young adults ages 18 to 28 believe that fewer retailers selling nicotine products makes a difference in reducing teen use. But, there is still more work to be done. CVS is always looking for new ways to help, so the CVS Health Foundation is working with leading organizations that support educating the public on the dangers of tobacco products. Visit cvshealth.com/tobacco to find additional information.