Official Site of The State of New Jersey
Cigarette Smoking Among Adults by Year, New Jersey and the United States, 2011 to 2022
Indicator Report Data View Options
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 Notes
- Data have been age-adjusted to the U.S. 2000 standard population.
- No data were collected in 2019.
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 daysDenominator:
Number of adults aged 18 years and older
Data Issues
Data from the New Jersey Behavioral Risk Factor Survey are intended to be representative of all non-institutionalized adult residents of New Jersey. Due to resource issues, however, adults with limited personal access to phone service or limited command of either English or Spanish are not represented. As with all surveys, also, some error results from nonresponse (e.g., refusal to participate in the survey or to answer specific questions), and faulty measurement (e.g., responses affected by social desirability or recall error). Data collection procedures intended to minimize such errors include the use of strict calling protocols, good questionnaire design, standardization of interviewer behavior, interviewer training, and frequent, on-site interviewer monitoring and supervision. Statistical weighting procedures are also used to minimize the potential impact of disproportionate representation of demographic subgroups defined in terms of age, sex, race, ethnicity, education level, marital status, home ownership, and county of residence. (See also Behavioral Risk Factor Survey Data Description and Technical Notes.)Related Health Objectives and Indicators
Health Initiative: HP2030
Healthy People 2030 Objective TU-02
U.S. Target: Reduce current cigarette smoking in adults to 6.1 percent (age-adjusted) by 2030.0
https://health.gov/healthypeople/objectives-and-data/browse-objectives/tobacco-use/reduce-current-cigarette-smoking-adults-tu-02
Health Initiative: HP2020
Healthy People 2020 Objective TU-1.1
U.S. Target: Reduce cigarette smoking by adults to 12.0 percent (age-adjusted) by 2020.0
https://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topics-objectives/topic/tobacco-use
Health Initiative: HNJ2020
Healthy NJ 2020 Objective TU-1a
NJ Target: Reduce the proportion of the adult population who are current smokers (any use in past 30 days) to 12.4 percent (age-adjusted) for the total population, 7.3% for Asians, 16.7% for Blacks, 12.2% for Hispanics, and 13.5% for Whites by 2020.0
https://www.nj.gov/health/chs/hnj2020/topics/tobacco-use.shtml
Health Initiative: CDI
Chronic Disease Indicator TOB04
Description: Current cigarette smoking among adults
https://www.cdc.gov/cdi/indicator-definitions/tobacco.html
Health Initiative: EPHT
Environmental Public Health Tracking Indicator LRF-78
Description: Prevalence of current smoking among adults
https://ephtracking.cdc.gov/indicatorPages?selectedContentAreaAbbreviation=19&selectedIndicatorId=78
Relevant Population Characteristics
The IOM1 has concluded that the effectiveness of cigarette excise tax increases in reducing smoking-related death and disease can be increased when combined with other evidence-based interventions of a comprehensive tobacco control program, including smoke-free policies and media campaigns.The New Jersey Smoke-Free Air Act2 has generally prohibited smoking in any indoor public place or work place since 2006. New Jersey's excise tax of $2.70 per pack of cigarettes currently ranks 11th in the nation3.
1. Institute of Medicine, 2007. Ending the tobacco problem: A blueprint for the nation. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
2. P. L. 2005, Chapter 383, N.J.S. 26:3D-55 et seq.
3. American Lung Association: Current State Cigarette Tax Rates. [last accessed on 1/28/20]
Health Care System Factors
See https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/recommendation/tobacco-use-in-adults-and-pregnant-women-counseling-and-interventions for smoking cessation recommendations.Risk Factors
Note: Custom data views of the prevalence of cigarette smoking among New Jersey adults by selected sociodemographic and other characteristics can be generated using the New Jersey Behavioral Risk Factor Survey interactive query module.Related Risk Factors Indicators:
Health Status Outcomes
According to the CDC1, cigarette smoking increases the risk of many types of cancer, coronary heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (which includes emphysema and chronic bronchitis). Cigarette smoking also increases risk for tuberculosis, certain eye diseases, and problems of the immune system, including rheumatoid arthritis. Cigarette smoking during pregnancy increases the risk for pregnancy complications.1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Smoking & Tobacco Use: Health Effects. [Last accessed on 1/28/20]