New York, NY — Smoking in the U.S. has hit another all-time low.
About 14 percent of U.S adults were smokers last year, down from about 16 percent the year before, government figures show.
There hadn’t been much change the previous two years, but it’s been clear there’s been a general decline and the new figures show it’s continuing, said K. Michael Cummings of the tobacco research program at Medical University of South Carolina.
The new figures released Tuesday mean there are still more than 30 million adult smokers in the U.S., he added.
“Everything is pointed in the right direction,” including falling cigarette sales and other indicators, Cummings said.
Teens are also shunning cigarettes.
Survey results out last week showed smoking among high school students was down to 9 percent, also a new low.
In the early 1960s, roughly 42 percent of U.S. adults smoked.
It was common nearly everywhere — in office buildings, restaurants, airplanes and even hospitals.