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 2024, 330,000 U.S. middle and high school students reported that they currently smoked 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
  • 4.1% of lesbian, gay, or bisexual adults

A summary of several studies found that adults who identify as LGBTQI+ are more likely to use cigars compared to their heterosexual and cisgender peers. These associations may be stronger for some LGBTQI+ adults from certain racial and ethnic population groups.2

Although there were declines in overall adult cigar use from 2002 to 2019, use among some population groups remained unchanged or actually increased. For example, cigar use increased among non-Hispanic Black adults aged 21 and older during that period.3

Youth

Cigars are a leading combusted tobacco product used by youth.3 In 2024, 330,000 U.S. middle and high school students reported that they currently smoked cigars.3

High School Students

In 2024, current cigar smoking was reported among:A4

  • 1.5% of all high school students
  • 1.0% of female high school students
  • 2.1% of male high school students
  • 2.7% of non-Hispanic Black high school students
  • 1.3% of non-Hispanic White high school students
  • 1.6% of Hispanic or Latino high school students

Middle School Students

In 2024, current cigar smoking was reported among:A4

  • 0.8% of all middle school students
  • 0.8% of female middle school students
  • 0.7% of male middle school students
  • 1.5% of non-Hispanic Black high school students
  • 0.4% of non-Hispanic White high school students
  • 1.0% of Hispanic or Latino middle school students

In 2020, prevalence of cigar use among middle and high school students who identified as lesbian, gay, or bisexual was twice as high as among students who identified as heterosexual.5

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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. Scientific Assessment of the Impact of Flavors in Cigar Products. U.S. Dept of Health and Human Services; 2022. https://www.fda.gov/media/157595/download
  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. Jamal A, Park-Lee, E, Birdsey J, et al. Tobacco product use among middle and high school students — National Youth Tobacco Survey, United States. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2024;73(41):917–924.
  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.