Brief Description
Tobacco is a plant grown for its leaves, which are dried and fermented before being put in tobacco products. Tobacco contains nicotine, an ingredient that can lead to addiction, which is why so many people who use tobacco find it difficult to quit. There are also many other potentially harmful chemicals found in tobacco or created by burning it. Read the DrugFacts
Learn more:
- Research Report on Tobacco, Nicotine and E-Cigarettes
- DrugFacts: Electronic Cigarettes (E-cigarettes)
Statistics and Trends
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| Drug | Time Period | 8th Graders | 10th Graders | 12th Graders |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cigarettes (any use) | Lifetime | 9.40 | 15.90 | 26.60 |
| Past Month | [1.90] | 5.00 | 9.70 | |
| Daily | [0.60] | 2.20 | 4.20 | |
| Any Vaping | Lifetime | 18.50 | 30.90 | 35.80 |
| Past Year | 13.30 | 23.90 | 27.80 | |
| Past Month | 6.60 | 13.10 | 16.60 | |
| Smokeless Tobacco | Lifetime | 6.20 | 9.10 | [11.00] |
| Past Month | [1.70] | 3.80 | [4.90] | |
| Daily | 0.40 | 0.60 | 2.00 |
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| Drug | Time Period | Ages 12 or Older | Ages 12 to 17 | Ages 18 to 25 | Ages 26 or Older |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cigarettes (any use) | Lifetime | 57.10 | 10.80 | 49.50 | 63.80 |
| Past Year | 21.50 | 6.30 | 31.00 | 21.70 | |
| Past Month | 17.90 | 3.20 | 22.30 | 18.90 | |
| Smokeless Tobacco | Lifetime | 16.10 | 5.00 | 18.00 | 17.10 |
| Past Year | 4.30 | 3.00 | 7.70 | 3.90 | |
| Past Month | 3.20 | 1.30 | 4.80 | 3.10 |
Related Videos
- Dr. Wilson Compton on MTF and Nicotine Use (December 2016)
- Teens Using E-cigarettes More Likely to Start Smoking Tobacco (August 2015)
- I-Science: #CPDD What's Hot - Public Health Potential of E-cigarette (July 2015)
- NIDA Spotlight: Tobacco Partnership with FDA (April 2014)
Related Publications
Related Infographics
Related Resources
- Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health Study (PATH) - A national longitudinal study of tobacco use and how it affects the health of people in the United States, led by NIDA and the Food and Drug Administration
- Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence Guidelines
- NIDA for Teens: Tobacco Addiction
- Guidance for Parents on Keeping Kids Smoke-Free (Letter from NIDA's former director) (Archives)
- Tobacco Regulatory Science Program (TRSP) (NIH/FDA collaboration)
- Preventing and Reducing Teen Tobacco Use (HHS)
- Online Guide to Quit Smoking (NCI - smokefree.gov)
- Results from 2018 National Youth Tobacco Survey show dramatic increase in e-cigarette use among youth over past year (FDA, November 2018)
- 2018 National Youth Tobacco Survey Infographic (FDA, November 2018)
- The Real Cost (FDA Center for Tobacco Products)
- Be Tobacco Free (HHS)
- Electronic Cigarettes (CDC)
- Notes from the Field: Use of Electronic Cigarettes and Any Tobacco Product Among Middle and High School Students — United States, 2011–2018 (MMRW) (CDC, November 2018)
- Tips from former Smokers (CDC)
- The Virtual Office of the Surgeon General - Guidelines to Quit Smoking
- Transdisciplinary Tobacco Use Research Centers - NIDA, the National Cancer Institute, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation: Studying new ways to combat tobacco use
Emerging Trends & Alerts
Get more information on Emerging Trends and Alerts, we will update this page with the latest research findings as they develop.
Get this Publication
Smoking Quitline
For help from the National Cancer Institute: 1-877-44U-QUIT (1-877-448-7848)
The National Cancer Institute's trained counselors are available to provide information and help with quitting in English or Spanish, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
Other Articles of Interest
Research Report
Tobacco, Nicotine, and E-Cigarettes
Discusses the harmful effects of tobacco use, risks associated with pregnancy and adolescents, as well as best practices for the prevention and treatment of tobacco addiction.
Get Help
Find information about addiction and mental health services in your area. You can search by state or zip code online or call the number. (SAMHSA)
1-800-662-4357
1-800-487-4889 (TTY)
NIDA TV Spotlight: Tobacco Partnership with FDA
