Smoking Rates on the Decline for American Adults Except Those Over 65

Smoking rates decreased among American adults between 2011 and 2022 except for those 65 and older, Time reports.

Smoking rates decreased to 15.2% from 21.2% during that time among adults 40 to 64, while smoking among adults 65 and older rose from 8.7% to 9.4%. The findings come from a study of more than 350,000 adults published in JAMA Health Forum.

Lead author Rafael Meza said public health campaigns and programs aimed at educating people about the dangers of smoking are not aimed at older adults.

A 2022 study found loneliness in adults 65 and older was associated both with overall smoking and with the number of cigarettes smoked per day. The author of that study, Jie Yang of East Carolina University, said that some people who feel isolation and despair may think, “Even if I have lung issues, I only have so many years left. What am I afraid of?” Yang said, “It’s almost a confidence issue that they don’t think they’re able to quit.”

Meza noted the data contains encouraging news. “Smoking is really collapsing among adolescents,” Meza told Time. “There is a dramatic decrease that just doesn’t seem to be stopping.”