One of the national health objectives for 2010 is to reduce the prevalence of cigarette smoking among adults in the United States to 12%. An analysis conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates that in 2003, approximately 21.6% of US adults were current smokers. Although this prevalence is lower than in 2002 (22.5%) and in 2001 (22.8%), the rate of decline is not sufficient to meet the national health objective for 2010. Comprehensive, sustained interventions that reduce the rate of smoking initiation and increase the rate of cessation are needed to further the decline in cigarette smoking among adults. Of the current smokers in 2003, 81% smoke every day and 19% smoke some days. More men (24.1%) than women (19.2%) reported current smoking. By education level, smoking prevalence was highest among adults who had earned a General Educational Development diploma (44.4%) and lowest among those with graduate degrees (7.5%). Persons aged 65 years or older had the lowest prevalence of cigarette smoking (9.1%), and persons 25 to 44 years of age had the highest prevalence (25.6%).
(Source: Morbidity and Mortal-ity Weekly Report, May 27, 2005).
