Cigar Use in the United States

What to know

  • In 2021, an estimated 8.6 million adults aged 18 and older currently smoked cigars.
  • Cigars are a leading combusted tobacco product used by youth. In 2023, 420,000 U.S. middle and high school students reported that they currently smoke cigars.

The data

Adults

In 2021, an estimated 8.6 million adults aged 18 and older currently smoked cigars. In 2021, current cigar smoking was reported among:1

  • 3.5% of all adults
  • 6.2% of adult men
  • 1.0% of adult women
  • 5.1% of non-Hispanic Black adults
  • 3.7% of non-Hispanic White adults
  • 2.5% of Hispanic adults
  • 1.2% of non-Hispanic Asian adults
  • 6.5% of adults experiencing serious psychological distress
  • 3.4% of adults not experiencing serious psychological distress

Adults who identify as LGBTQI+ are more likely to use cigars when compared to their heterosexual and cisgender peers. These associations are stronger for some racial and ethnic populations.2

There were declines in overall adult cigar use from 2002 to 2019. However, during this same time frame, cigar use either remained unchanged or increased among some population groups, including non-Hispanic Black adults aged 21 and older.3

Youth

Cigars are a leading combusted tobacco product used by youth.4 In 2023, 420,000 U.S. middle and high school students reported that they currently smoke cigars.4

High School Students

In 2023, current cigar smoking was reported among:A4

  • 1.8% of all high school students
  • 1.4% of female high school students
  • 2.3% of male high school students
  • 1.9% of non-Hispanic Black high school students
  • 1.4% of non-Hispanic White high school students
  • 2.3% of Hispanic or Latino high school students

Middle School Students

In 2023, current cigar smoking was reported among:A4

  • 1.1% of all middle school students
  • 1.2% of female middle school students
  • 1.0% of male middle school students
  • 1.8% of Hispanic or Latino middle school students

In 2020, middle and high school students who identified as lesbian, gay, or bisexual were nearly twice as likely to use cigars compared to heterosexual youth.5 Cigar use is higher among youth who use other tobacco products or other drugs (e.g., alcohol, marijuana, and inhalants) than among those who do not use these products.6

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Content Source:
National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion; Office on Smoking and Health
  1. Data were not available for all population groups.
  1. Cornelius ME, Loretan CG, Jamal A, et al. Tobacco Product Use Among Adults — United States, 2021. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2023;72(18):475–483.
  2. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Tobacco Product Standard for Characterizing Flavors in Cigars, Proposed Rule. 87 Fed. Reg. 26,396. May 4, 2022.
  3. Pacek LR, Sawdey MD, Nguyen KH, et al. Trends and Associations of Past-30-Day Cigar Smoking in the U.S. by Age, Race/Ethnicity, and Sex, NSDUH 2002-2020.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023;20(18):6716.
  4. Birdsey J, Cornelius M, Jamal A, et al. Tobacco Product Use Among U.S. Middle and High School Students — National Youth Tobacco Survey, 2023. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2023;72(44):1173–1182.
  5. Gentzke AS, Wang TW, Jamal A, et al. Tobacco Product Use Among Middle and High School Students — United States, 2020. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2020;69:1881–1888.
  6. U.S. Dept of Health and Human Services. Preventing Tobacco Use Among Youth and Young Adults: A Report of the Surgeon General. U.S. Dept of Health and Human Services, 2012. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK99237/