Smoking at Record Low

U.S. cigarette smoking has dropped to an all-time low of 11 percent, according to a new Gallup poll. Smoking is even less common in young Americans, with 6 percent of people under 30 saying they smoke.

“The U.S. is on the verge of having a smoke-free Gen Z generation, yet instead of celebrating, vaping is under attack,” said Michael Landl, director of the World Vapers’ Alliance in a statement. “This doesn’t make any sense. The latest smoking rates clearly show that the myth of vaping being a gateway to smoking needs to be put to rest. Vaping is not a gateway to smoking; it’s a gateway away from smoking. Harm reduction works, even though politicians are making it harder for smokers to switch. It’s time to wake up!”

Low smoking rates may be a result of decades of scientific data and warnings that the products are dangerous to use, according to a New York Post article. About 80 percent of American adults who were surveyed said that cigarettes are “very harmful” compared to 57 percent of respondents who said that e-cigarettes are “very harmful.”

Most respondents also said chewing tobacco is “very harmful,” but few said the same for cigars, pipes or nicotine pouches, though seven out of 10 Americans believe the products are “somewhat harmful.”

Smokers are also less inclined than nonsmokers to say that cigarettes are harmful; 80 percent of nonsmokers said cigarettes are harmful while 58 percent of cigarette smokers said the products are harmful. In comparison, 63 percent of vapers said e-cigarettes are harmful while 79 percent of nonvapers said e-cigarettes are harmful.