Morbidity and Mortality Weekly
One of the national health objectives for 2010 is to reduce the prevalence of cigarette smoking among adults to <12% (objective 27.1a) (1). To assess progress toward this objective, CDC analyzed self-reported data from the 2000 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) sample Adult Core questionnaire and Cancer Control module. This report summarizes the findings of this analysis, which indicate that, in 2000, approximately 23.3% of adults were current smokers compared with 25.0% in 1993, reflecting a modest but statistically significant decrease in prevalence among U.S. adults. In 2000, an estimated 70% of smokers said they wanted to quit, and 41% had tried to quit during the preceding year; however, marked differences in successful quitting were observed among demographic groups. A comprehensive approach to cessation that comprises economic, clinical, regulatory, and educational strategies is required to further reduce the prevalence of smoking in the United States.