34 Insightful Smoking Statistics & Facts for 2024

Smoking Statistics

Smoking kills; smoking causes 92% of oral cancers; smoking causes fatal lung disease; smoking seriously harms you and others around you

These are only some of the messages you may read on cigarette packaging, often followed by brutal images. Though aimed at arousing negative emotions towards this detrimental habit and raising awareness concerning the dangers of smoking, these labels do not seem to do much about changing smokers’ attitudes towards their health.

The warnings above might not suffice since it is not easy to change addictive behavioral patterns. That is why we conducted thorough research to present the latest smoking statistics and facts which might make you reconsider taking up smoking.

Top 10 Smoking Statistics for 2024

  • About 1.3 billion people around the globe are tobacco users.
  • In 2019, 57.8% of US youth smokers reported seriously considering quitting.
  • Worldwide, 35% of men are smokers, compared to only 6% of women.
  • According to smoking death statistics, by 2030, 2,500,000 female deaths could occur per year.
  • US citizens earning less than $25,000 a year have a 24.7% smoking rate.
  • Smokers are four times less likely to contract coronavirus, as per smoking statistics.
  • As many as 400,000 babies in the US are exposed to tobacco toxins inside the uterus.
  • You are twice more likely to die from a stroke if you’re a smoker.
  • The percentage of lung cancer caused by smoking is 80%–90%.
  • 80% of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease cases are caused by smoking.

Smoking Statistics Worldwide

The section below offers the latest information about the number of smokers worldwide, the number of deaths caused by smoking, teenage smoking rates, and much more.

[visualizer id=”98127″ lazy]

Source: Statista

1. About 1.3 billion people around the globe are tobacco users.

(WHO)

Despite anti-smoking campaigns around the world, the numbers are still devastating. And the answer to how many people die from smoking is a staggering eight million. Research has also shown that death is caused by smoking-related health issues in one-half of active smokers.

2. Annually, cigarettes cause 480,000 deaths from smoking, 2020 statistics for the US show.

(CDC)

Smoking is a leading cause of preventable death. What’s more, people who smoke die approximately ten years earlier compared to nonsmokers. That said, despite all the information pointing to the fatality of this habit, CDC smoking statistics note the ever-increasing number of active smokers. 

3. Every day, 2,500 American teenagers try their first cigarette, teenage smoking stats show.

(Lung)

Of them, over 400 will become regular daily smokers. Whether voluntarily or as a result of peer pressure, some children begin to smoke very early, based on teenagers smoking statistics. Apart from obviously higher susceptibility to respiratory infections and various forms of tobacco-induced cancer, children who start smoking early in their lives also have more difficulties trying to quit smoking during adulthood.

4. Smoking statistics for 2019 reveal that there were 6.9 million smokers in the UK that year.

(ONS)

Reportedly, 14.1% of adult UK citizens were estimated to smoke cigarettes. Set side by side with 2011 results, smoking statistics by year from a relatively recent Annual Population Survey indicate that UK rates have been improving. There’s also an improvement from 2018 when the percentage of smokers was 14.7%.

5. Over half of the tobacco smoke inhaled by young US adults aged 18–30 is inhaled through hookahs.

(Science Daily)

Smoking statistics for the US, based on the University of Pittsburgh’s study of 3,254 American adults, remark that 54.9% of tobacco smoke comes from pipes. That isn’t unexpected since flavored smoke is usually found more appealing, and social gatherings featuring hookahs are pretty popular these days.

6. In 2019, 57.8% of US youth smokers reported seriously considering quitting. 

(CDC)

That translates to 3.3 million middle and high school students, based on CDC smoking statistics. Around 57.5% reported that they’d stopped using all tobacco products for a day or longer in the past year trying to quit. Notably, in 2018, more than three out of five (61.7%) adult smokers quit. 

On Gender and Tobacco: Facts and Statistics

Now, does gender define one’s smoking habit? Read on to find out how many women and men flock to their cigarettes every day, where death rates stand, and how sly tobacco marketing campaigns can be.

7. Worldwide, 35% of men are smokers, compared to only 6% of women.

(OWID)

Globally, every fifth adult smokes tobacco, according to tobacco user statistics. However, there are significant disparities between genders, with men showing much higher rates than women. 

Then again, some countries are exceptions. For instance, there is no gender difference in the smoking rates in Sweden and Denmark. Also, in Nauru, an island country in Micronesia, 43% of women smoke, compared to 37% of male smokers.

8. Some tobacco marketing campaigns are explicitly targeted at women.

(WHO

The tobacco industry takes advantage of feminine stereotypes to promote the imposed beauty standards by using images suggesting a connection between cigarette smoking and grace, elegance, beauty. Bearing in mind the stats about smoking, which note that female smokers are still much fewer in number, this strategy is an expected move. In other words, the tobacco industry needs more consumers, and it has found a sly method to achieve its goal.

9. According to smoking death statistics, by 2030, 2,500,000 female deaths could occur per year.

(WHO)

Compared to the current situation (1,500,000 women dying from tobacco each year), in nine years, female mortality from cigarettes could mark a disastrous rise of another million deaths. As per reports, the vast majority of women who die due to cigarette consumption come from underdeveloped countries.

10. The smoking rates are 4.4% higher in lesbian or bisexual women compared to heterosexual.

(Lung)

According to a 2016 US study, 17.9% of lesbian and bisexual women are smokers, compared to 13.5% of heterosexual female smokers. A possible rationale behind these statistics on smoking demographics might be distress—one of the primary triggers for cigarette consumption—usually caused by social stigma and widespread discrimination.

Smoking Rates of Particular Social Groups

Read the following statistics to learn how smoking affects people with lower income, behavioral health disorders, etc. Without further ado, let’s dive right in!

11. Smoking is 2–3 times more frequent among behavioral health disorder patients.

(Lung)

Nicotine addiction rates are higher among individuals with mental health issues. For instance, patients with depression show 59% higher rates than people without a mental illness history, based on nicotine statistics. The percentage of smokers is even higher among patients with psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia.

12. US citizens earning less than $25,000 a year have a 24.7% smoking rate. 

(Lung)

When it comes to the United States, smoking rates uncover that Americans living in poverty consume more tobacco than those of a more favorable social status. To be more precise, their smoking rate (24.7%) is double that of the Americans whose annual earnings amount to $25,000 or more (12.7%). Furthermore, smoking facts suggest that smokers with lower income suffer more from diseases caused by smoking than those with higher income.

13. Tobacco use is 2.5 times greater in UK manual laborers than in non-manual workers.

(ONS)

As we’ve already stated, the socio-economic circumstances of smokers are pretty indicative of the frequency of tobacco use. Other than incomes, another particular category that is suggestive in terms of smoking is a person’s profession.

We’ve done some research on smoking statistics throughout various professions and found the following. Over 25% of routine and manual workers (craftsmen, truck drivers, hotel and bar staff, etc.) smoke, compared to around 10% of non-manual workers such as architects, lawyers, teachers, etc.

Health Consequences of Smoking: Facts and Statistics

Read on to learn how smoking affects our health. From the increased risk of heart attack to the possibility of developing lung cancer—smoking is a dangerous habit to take up.

[visualizer id=”98129″ lazy]

Source: Tobacco-Free Life

14. Smoking a pack a day more than doubles your risk of heart attack compared to nonsmokers.

(Cardio Metabolic Institute)

According to smoking and heart disease statistics, there is a direct link between how much you smoke and the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases.

Note that smoking cigarettes increases the risk of heart attack significantly more compared to vaping. That said, vaping still puts you at risk. As a matter of fact, people who vape are 34% more likely to have a heart attack compared to those who don’t vape.

15. Smoking affects your ability to work out, according to smoking facts.

(Smoke-Free)

It is a fact that exercising regularly is beneficial for your health, and if you are a smoker, you might think that a regular workout could compensate for all the harm you bring about by smoking. 

Now, smoking narrows your arteries and therefore decreases blood supply to your organs, including the heart and muscles. As a result, your body won’t be engaged in a workout as much as you need it to.

16. 400,000 babies in the US are exposed to tobacco toxins inside the uterus.

(FDA)

Smoking can pose problems to women’s health, and female smokers may experience reproductive health problems. What’s especially dangerous is smoking during pregnancy. Statistics point to fertility problems, increased ectopic pregnancy risk, or even miscarriage due to smoking. 

17. Male smokers have double the chances of suffering from erectile dysfunction than nonsmokers.

(Web MD) (Online Doctor)

Facts about smoking find that smoking damages the circulation to all parts of the body, including the genitals. Consequently, it’s harder for a man to get and keep an erection. Moreover, having erectile dysfunction is still a stigma, and many men turn to self-treating, like using testosterone boosters. Then again, if your problem stems from smoking, you might want to consider quitting, and your circulation will begin improving somewhere between two and twelve weeks.

18. You are twice more likely to die from a stroke if you’re a smoker.

(Safe Stroke)

Furthermore, statistics on smoking verify that a smoker is three to four times more likely to suffer a stroke, and up to 10% of stroke cases globally are caused by smoking. Learn how to recognize the warning signs of a stroke with our elaborate article.

19. The percentage of lung cancer caused by smoking is 80%–90%. 

(Very Well Health)

Believe it or not, even after 25 years of abstinence, the effects of smoking can linger and still increase the likelihood of lung cancer. Following that, smoking and lung cancer statistics prove that smoking is the leading risk factor for lung cancer. On the positive side, if you are a heavy smoker, quitting smoking reduces your risk for this disease by about 39% after five years. 

20. There are also non-tobacco causes of lung cancer.

(American Cancer Society)

Although smoking and cancer statistics are always mentioned together, many other environmental factors can get you sick. These include exposure to radon, air pollution, secondhand smoke, asbestos, diesel exhaust, or other chemicals. While not all of these factors are easy to avoid, you may always make an effort to quit smoking.

21. Smoking facts confirm that smoking can disrupt your sleep.

(Very Well Health) (Healthline)

Astoundingly, smoking has something to do with your sleeping patterns. A recent study has found that smokers have difficulties falling asleep and/or staying sound asleep. They also are likely to experience more sleep disruptions.

22. 80% of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease cases are caused by smoking.

(Rural Health Info)

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an inflammatory lung disease that causes severe difficulty in breathing. While stats about smoking have disclosed that smoking is a leading factor for COPD deaths, some of the other factors include genetics, exposure to lung irritants (like secondhand smoke), poverty, chronic bronchitis, history of asthma, etc. 

23. Smoking affects our appearance, according to smoking facts.

(The Healthy)

Smoking effects inside our bodies are disastrous, but they manifest on the outside, too. For example, it is likely to cause dark circles under your eyes, warts, stretch marks, increase your risk of cataracts by 22%, color your teeth yellow, turn your skin grayish, and even thin your hair. 

COVID-19 and Smoking Statistics

The section below will inform you about the connection between smoking and COVID-19. Read on to learn how likely smokers are to contract the coronavirus and whether smokers are at risk of severe complications from it. 

24. Smokers are four times less likely to contract coronavirus, as per smoking statistics. 

(The Telegraph)

It may sound bizarre, considering that smoking damages the lungs. Be that as it may, those are the results of an in-depth study by a leading French research center—the Pasteur Institute. Following that, health workers and patients in France might be given nicotine patches for further research.

25. A Chinese study has found that the odds that COVID would get worse were 14 times higher for those with a history of smoking.

(Web MD)

Namely, the study looked into the cases of people who had COVID-19 and were hospitalized due to pneumonia. According to facts about smoking, people who smoke are more likely to have COPD, blood vessel and heart diseases, putting them at risk of developing complications.

26. COVID-19 mortality in smokers is higher than that of nonsmokers.

(NCBI)

Those are the findings of ten studies that involved 11,189 patients and examined smoking and COVID-19 deaths. To be more specific, smoking statistics from 2020 pointed to a higher mortality rate in smokers (29.4%) compared to nonsmokers (17%).

Marijuana Smoking Facts and Statistics

If you are interested in data on smoking marijuana, you’ve come to the right place. This section includes info on the long-term consequences of smoking marijuana, whether it impacts your IQ or leads to psychotic episodes, its effects on pregnant women, and more. 

[visualizer id=”98125″ lazy]

Source: MLive

27. Smoking weed can have serious long-term consequences.

(Drug Abuse)

The adverse effects of smoking marijuana can be divided into short-term and long-term. The short-term effects are the following: moodiness, impaired memory, altered sense of time. As for the long-term ones, they are impaired thinking and learning functions.

28. 14% of those driving under the influence of marijuana have a child in the car when a car crash happens.

(NBC)

Some of the recent police reports from the places where marijuana is legal indicate that the legalization of marijuana might be responsible for the sharp rise in car accident incidence. Namely, the number of crashes rose by roughly 6%, compared to neighbor-states where marijuana is still banned from free use.

29. Smoking marijuana increases the risk of psychosis by three times, smoking facts reveal.

(Live Science)

Results of a 2019 analysis of over 1,200 European examinees without psychoses and 900 of those diagnosed with psychosis suggest that those who used marijuana daily were three times more likely to experience psychotic episodes and get a diagnosis afterward.

30. Smoking marijuana while pregnant causes problems with child development.

(Drug Abuse) (FDA)

Some babies born to mothers who used marijuana during pregnancy show increased trembling, a high-pitched cry, and altered responses to visual stimuli, indicating neurological development problems.

Moreover, women should be especially aware of the risks of smoking marijuana while breastfeeding. Namely, THC can stay in breastmilk for up to six days after using marijuana and further impact the infant’s brain development.

When it comes to smoking weed while pregnant, facts suggest that the safest decision a woman can make is not to smoke marijuana, at least during pregnancy.

31. Smoking weed every day might lower your IQ by eight points.

(Child Mind)

Smoking weed facts and data from a study conducted on 1,000 examinees from New Zealand suggest that there has been an IQ point decline in adults who smoked marijuana daily since they were teenagers. 

As teenagers, the study subjects took IQ tests and retook them in their late thirties. In the meantime, smoking statistics over time pointed out that they smoked weed daily. All in all, this decline can be attributed to teenage brains still developing, thus being more prone to various alterations, including those induced by marijuana.

Interesting Facts About Tobacco: Breaking Misconceptions 

The section you are about to read will enlighten you on some misconceptions regarding secondhand smoking, “moderate” smoking, as well as rolling out tobacco. Let’s read on. 

32. Secondhand smoking statistics are scarier than you might think.

(American Cancer Society

If you never hesitate to express annoyance when around smokers, some might perceive it as an overreaction. Still, the harmful effects of environmental cigarette smoke (commonly known as secondhand smoke) are not a myth, according to secondhand smoking facts

Moreover, involuntary smokers are almost as endangered as active smokers. Their nasal sinuses, throat, voice box, lungs, bladder, etc. all might get cancer due to secondhand smoke.

33. Tobacco facts emphasize that there is no safe level of tobacco use.

(National Cancer Institute)

The prognosis for people who smoke less than one cigarette per day during their lifetime is not significantly better. In other words, they face a  64% higher risk of shortened lifespan compared to those who have never smoked. Contrary to common misconception, there is no such thing as “smoking safely” or “moderately.”

34. Facts about smoking reveal that rolling your own tobacco isn’t safe.

(FDA)

One of the most common erroneous beliefs is that smoking the so-called “rollies” brings about less harm than smoking cigarettes. It is probably based on the assumption that the tobacco you roll by yourself doesn’t contain additives. However, you inhale dangerous chemicals by smoking rolled tobacco, too.

Conclusion 

Smoking damages almost all organs in your body, causes many diseases, and worsens smokers’ health in general. Not everyone is fully aware of each particular risk that smoking poses to their health. Among certain social groups, smoking awareness is still on the level of merely being familiar with the fact that smoking carries certain risks.

Nevertheless, the smoking statistics and facts we’ve gathered have proven that this isn’t nearly enough. Hopefully, we’ve provided you with some new pieces of information that will persuade you to reconsider your habit.

FAQs

What percentage of smokers die from smoking?

According to BMC medicine’s study, approximately 67% of smokers die because of smoking-related disease, making the estimate higher than doctors previously thought. Additionally, tobacco smoke increases the risk of at least 13 cancer types, so the earlier you quit, the better. 

How many chemicals are in a cigarette?

There are over 7,000 chemicals in a cigarette’s smoke. Additionally, some of those toxic chemicals exist in the tobacco plant itself. That is to say that not all dangerous chemicals are to be attributed to manufacturing done by people—some carcinogens occur naturally when tobacco is cured.

How many cigarettes does the average smoker smoke a day?

About 91% of EU respondents claim they smoke 20 or fewer cigarettes a day. Of them, 53% report smoking an average of over ten cigarettes, and 47%—ten or fewer cigarettes daily. Additionally, according to cigarette smoking statistics, they consume cigarettes from packs. Also, somewhere about 95% of those surveyed started smoking before 26.

What country has the most smokers?

The highest rates in the world are in Kiribati, at 52.40%, based on smoking statistics by country. Moreover, smoking is higher in men than women there, and over 200 people die each year because of tobacco. Right behind Kiribati is Nauru, with a smoking rate of 47.50%, and Greece, with 42.65%.

What percentage of smokers will get cancer?

Lung cancer kills about 1.2 million people per year. Smoking cigarettes causes approximately 90% of all lung cancer cases. Smoking statistics affirm that between 10% and 15% of smokers get lung cancer; however, they often die of other smoking-related causes like stroke, emphysema, or heart disease.

List of Sources:

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. *