Official Site of The State of New Jersey
Cigarette Smoking Among Adults
Summary Indicator Report Data View Options
Cigarette Smoking Among Adults by County of Residence, New Jersey, 2020-2022
Why Is This Important?
Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death, leads to disease and disability, and harms nearly every organ of the body.1
Definition
Percentage of adults aged 18 years and older who smoke cigarettes every day or some days
Data Sources
- Behavioral Risk Factor Survey, Center for Health Statistics, New Jersey Department of Health
(http://www.nj.gov/health/chs/njbrfs/) - Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
(https://www.cdc.gov/brfss/index.html)
How the Measure is Calculated
| Numerator: | Number of adults aged 18 years and older who have smoked at least 100 cigarettes in their lifetime and who now report smoking cigarettes every day or some days |
| Denominator: | Number of adults aged 18 years and older |
How Are We Doing?
Although New Jersey's smoking rates have decreased since its Master Settlement Agreement-funded programs were initiated, more than one million New Jersey adults continue to smoke. People with fewer years of formal education report higher rates of tobacco use compared to the general population. Comprehensive and free quitting services are needed to help New Jersey smokers quit and ensure a decline in tobacco use rates among all population groups.
What Is Being Done?
The Office of Tobacco Control at the New Jersey Department of Health and its partners use comprehensive programs to prevent the initiation of tobacco use among young people, to help tobacco users quit, to eliminate nonsmokers' exposure to secondhand smoke, and to reduce tobacco-related disparities. These programs include free quitting services, school- and community-based prevention programs and education regarding the New Jersey Smoke-Free Air Act.
Available Services
The New Jersey Quitline and New Jersey's online quitting program New Jersey QuitNet offer assistance in quitting tobacco use to New Jersey adults and teens. Referrals can also be made to New Jersey Quitcenters (low-cost face-to-face counseling clinics). For services and information call the New Jersey Quitline at 1-866-NJ-STOPS or visit New Jersey's online tobacco cessation support program at http://www.nj.quitnet.com.
More Resources
NJDOH Office of Tobacco Control:
http://www.nj.gov/health/fhs/tobacco/
More information on the New Jersey Behavioral Risk Factor Survey is available at http://www.state.nj.us/health/chs/njbrfs/
Health Program Information
To receive more information about tobacco prevention and control programs in New Jersey, call the Office of Tobacco Control at (609) 984-3317. For information on quitting smoking, call the New Jersey Quitline at 1-866-NJ-STOPS or visit New Jersey's online tobacco cessation support program at http://www.njquitline.org/.
Footnote References
1. CDC, About Health Effects of Cigarette Smoking, 5/15/24.